Road to T20 World Cup 2026: Regional final line-ups set

By Daniel Beswick

As the world enjoyed a spellbinding 20-team Men's T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies in 2024, the picture of the 2026 T20 World Cup is a little clearer after the end of Sub-Regional qualifying.

Action in Argentina wrapped up the first step of qualification, where Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Bahamas edged the tournament hosts for the three Americas spots to join Canada in their regional final. One spot is available for the four vying teams in the region, who were handed a favour by the USA in claiming an automatic spot at the next World Cup thanks to their Super Eights finish in the 2024 edition.

Without the retiring Kamau Leverock and regular captain Delray Rawlins who sat out the competition, stand-in captain Terryn Fray led the Bermudians in an undefeated campaign, only dropping points in a washout on day one. The Cayman Islands closed out their spot on the penultimate matchday with a win over Argentina, while Bahamas locked in their first regional final appearance on the final day with a win over Mexico.

The 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup is again Again a 55-match affair, and 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.

Before that though, the final eight teams for the tournament need to be decided through four regional finals.

Who is already in for T20 World Cup 2026?

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 at the 30 June 2024 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 Americans, who upstaged Pakistan in a Super Over to steal a Second Round spot in Group A.

Despite missing out on the Super Eights, Pakistan secured their place at the next edition thanks to their T20I ranking, alongside New Zealand and Ireland.

The final eight teams for the 2026 edition will be decided by regional qualifiers.

Breaking down each region

Africa

Regional Qualifier Spots Available: 2
Teams: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe

A region that saw perhaps the biggest upset in regional qualifying in the last cycle when Uganda upstaged regional giants Zimbabwe, there will again 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 enter at the regional final, though it's been a longer road for Zimbabwe, who were forced down a step to sub-regional action after their poor 2024 qualification campaign.

The Zimbabweans were one of 18 nations competing at the first level of qualifying, though were comfortable winners in their six-team group, accounting for the likes of Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia and Kenya. Kenya too did enough to progress to the regional final, as well as the top two finishers in the other Sub-Regional groups, Tanzania, Malawi, Nigeria and Botswana.

Recent history and the rising competition across the continent makes the Africa Qualifier essential viewing.

Americas

Regional Qualifier Spots Available: 1
Teams: Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands

With the USA taking an automatic spot at the global event, there is again an opening for the next-best team in the Americas to book tickets to India and Sri Lanka.

Canada can lay claim to being favourites for the one tournament spot, though the three Sub-Regional qualifiers, who prevailed in a nine-team round robin, will pose a threat when the teams meet.

Bermuda were only edged by the Canadians on Net Run Rate in the last cycle, and remain the best chance to cause a tournament upset, even after a reshuffle of their playing group. The boys from the Caymans return after a one-win campaign in the last regional final, while Marc Taylor's Bahamas move into unchartered territory thanks in large part to wins over Argentina and Panama.

Asia/East Asia-Pacific

Regional Qualifier Spots Available: 3
Teams: Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Samoa, UAE

The event with perhaps the most intrigue, budding qualifiers across two regions will combine in a nine-team Asia/East Asia-Pacific tournament, with three tournament spots up for grabs.

Almost 16,000 kilometres stretch between Eastern-most Samoa and Western-most Kuwait at the tournament, and the unknowns of opposition and styles of play make this Qualifier arguably the most open.

By virtue of their 2024 T20 World Cup participation, Nepal, Oman and Papua New Guinea were automatic entrants for the hybrid Qualifier, with the other six coming from two Sub-Regional events across each region.

Over in East Asia-Pacific, Samoa shocked the field to win their spot through Sub-Regional Qualifier A, beating out Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji on home soil in Apia.

Caleb Jasmat's side qualified in a final-over thriller on the last day of the competition, beating Vanuatu in a tense defence of 145, breaking the hearts of Cook Islands players watching on having been overtaken by the Samoan victory

Read on: Cinderella Story complete as Samoa keep T20 World Cup 2026 dream alive

Japan meanwhile strolled to claim top spot in the other East Asia-Pacific Sub-Regional Qualifier, with Kendal Kadowaki-Fleming's side unbeaten in their trip to South Korea, beating out the hosts, Philippines and Indonesia.

Fourteen teams meanwhile took part in Asia Sub-Regionals across two competitions, with Malaysia and Kuwait prevailing in Qualifier A, alongside UAE and Qatar in Group B.

Having moved back to Sub-Regional action, the Emiratis were unbeaten in their group to reach the regional final, while Qatar were able to brush aside fellow building gulf sides Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Malaysia did enough on home soil to progress even after a defeat to Kuwait, whose Net Run Rate was enough to edge Hong Kong. A meeting between Kuwait and Hong Kong was scuppered by inclement weather.

Europe

Regional Qualifier Spots Available: 2

Teams: Guernsey, Italy, Jersey, Netherlands, Scotland

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, where 32 teams put their name into the qualification ring.

Scotland and The Netherlands enter the race at the regional final, and are joined by were joined by the three Sub-Regional winners who prevailed in respective ten-team groups: Italy, Jersey and Guernsey.

The Scots and the Dutch remain favourites to claim the European spots come the regional final, though the three challengers are sure to ask questions.

Italy stormed through their Sub-Regional Qualifier and have a new skipper in former Australian international Joe Burns, who competed for the Azzuri in June upon completing his eligibility period. The side, who would already pose stiff opposition for sides above them on the T20I Rankings, are likely to welcome more players to bolster their stocks.

Jersey accounted for Norway in the Qualifier B Final to lock in their Regional Final spot, while Guernsey snuck home in a chase of 159 against Denmark for their Regional Final privileges.

Read on: Guernsey see off Denmark to claim spot at Europe T20 World Cup Qualifying Regional Final