From Japan to Italy to UAE, a look at teams who could feature in T20 WC 2026

Dubai [UAE], July 2 (ANI): As the world enjoyed a spellbinding 20-team event in the USA and the West Indies, it will be time to do it all over again come 2026, with another ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Again a 55-match affair, the tournament will be played out in the same format, with four groups of five, before two Super Eights groups, semi-finals and a final to crown the next champion, as per ICC.

Before that though, the final eight teams for the tournament need to be decided.

As hosts, Sri Lanka and India take up the first two spots for 2026. From there, the next 10 spots were determined by Super Eight qualifiers at the 2024 edition, and ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings on the June 30 were the cut-off date.

Thanks to their strong first-round play and entry to the Super Eights, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies all secured 2026 T20 World Cup spots, as well as the USA, who upstaged Pakistan in a Super Over to steal a Second Round spot in Group A.

Despite missing out on the Super Eights, Babar Azam’s men meanwhile secured their place at the next edition thanks to their T20I ranking (7th), alongside New Zealand (6th) and Ireland (11th).

The final eight teams for the 2026 edition will be decided by regional qualifiers, in a similar pathway to that of the 2024 qualifying.

Africa, Asia and Europe have two qualification spots, with one spot for both the Americas and East-Asia Pacific regions.

*Africa

Regional qualifying spots: two

A region that saw perhaps the biggest upset in regional qualifying in the last cycle when Uganda upstaged regional giants Zimbabwe, there will be fierce competition when African teams do battle for T20 World Cup 2026 privileges.

Failing to reach the Super Eights stage of T20 World Cup 2024, Uganda and Namibia will come back to regional qualifiers, with Zimbabwe joining the pair as the best-placed challengers for the two 2026 spots.

Nigeria, Tanzania and a rebuilding Kenyan team stand as the others most likely to pose a threat to the aforementioned three come the regional final.

*Americas

Regional qualifying spots: one

Just like the 2024 pathway where they had qualified by virtue of hosting the tournament, the USA will skip regional qualifying thanks to their finishing position in their home tournament.

The result is a big win for other teams in the region, given they have one fewer team to worry about when America’s qualification rolls around again.

Canada edged Bermuda on Net Run Rate to take the 2024 spot, and are favourites to claim the spot again and feature in back-to-back tournaments.

The Bermudians meanwhile are in a rebuild following the retirement of Kamau Leverock among many others, while the likes of the Cayman Islands, Argentina and Panama stand as the next best teams to compete.

*Asia

Regional Qualifying spots: two

Alongside European qualifying for 2026, Asia can lay claim to the most challenging qualification process. Outside of Nepal and Oman, who go straight to the regional final after competing at the T20 World Cup 2024, all other teams will have to compete and qualify through sub-regional play.

It looks an uphill battle particularly for the Omanis to reclaim their spot, with a number of players at the backend of their careers, and with a young, rejuvenated UAE side waiting to challenge.

The Emiratis are from the only threat in the region though, with the growth of cricket in the Gulf and in South-East Asia set to make action ultra-competitive.

Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar stand as three teams waiting to make their mark in the game, with the likes of Hong Kong and Malaysia two sides from the other side of the region poised to challenge.

*East Asia-Pacific

Regional Qualifying spots: one

The East Asia-Pacific spot for 2026 is still Papua New Guinea’s to lose despite a winless T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, but there is a case that the rest of the region is making ground on the Barramundis.

Following a second-placed finish in the last regional final, Japan is the team now poised as PNG’s biggest threat, and should come back to challenge at the same stage assuming they prevail in their sub-regional group.

Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming’s side will need to overcome Indonesia, Philippines and South Korea in their sub-regional qualifier, while Vanuatu, the side to come out on top in the other sub-regional qualifier, must brush aside challengers Samoa, Fiji and the Cook Islands.

*Europe

Regional Qualifying spots: two

Squeezing into T20 World Cup 2026 qualification on rankings, Ireland will be relieved to be skipping a tough European pathway for T20 World Cup 2026 qualification. For the likes of Scotland and The Netherlands, there would be a relief knowing they don’t have to face Paul Stirling’s men in a race for two spots.

The Scots and the Dutch will be favourites to claim the European spots come the regional final, though with 21 teams still alive for the spots in the region, there is sure to be competition.

An Italian side on the up have already secured their spot in the regional final after beating out nine other sides in Sub-regional Qualifier A. Jersey and Germany stand as the two teams most likely grabbing the spot from Group B in July, while the likes of Denmark, Spain and Guernsey fight for the spot in Qualifier C in August.