Quick answer
10 teams have qualified directly for the 2027 World Cup: hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, plus the top eight in the ICC ODI rankings on 30 September 2026: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The last four places go to the top four at the World Cup Qualifier (26 February – 21 March 2027, South Africa and Namibia).
The 10 teams already qualified
| Team | How they qualified | Group | Best ODI World Cup finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Host | B | Semi-finals (several times) |
| Zimbabwe | Host | A | Super Six (1999, 2003) |
| Australia | ODI rankings | A | Champions (6 titles, latest 2023) |
| India | ODI rankings | A | Champions (1983, 2011) |
| Pakistan | ODI rankings | A | Champions (1992) |
| Afghanistan | ODI rankings | A | Group stage (big wins in 2023) |
| England | ODI rankings | B | Champions (2019) |
| New Zealand | ODI rankings | B | Runners-up (2015, 2019) |
| Sri Lanka | ODI rankings | B | Champions (1996) |
| Bangladesh | ODI rankings | B | Quarter-finals (2015) |
The surprise: West Indies and Ireland must qualify
Two-time champions West Indies missed the top eight again and will play the Qualifier, just as they did before missing the 2023 World Cup entirely. Ireland are in the same position. Both got Qualifier places through the ODI rankings.
Host nation Namibia does not get an automatic place either. Namibia will host World Cup games in Windhoek, but must earn its own spot through the qualifying pathway.
How the last four spots will be filled
The World Cup Qualifier has 10 teams:
- West Indies and Ireland – via the ODI rankings
- Top four of Cricket World Cup League 2 (2024–26) – including the Netherlands, Scotland and the United States, with one place still to be confirmed
- Top four of the Qualifier Play-off – held in Nepal in December 2026
What the Qualifier gives you:
- 1st place: straight into the World Cup group stage
- 2nd, 3rd and 4th: into the Super Series in Windhoek (2–6 October 2027), where only the winner joins the group stage
So four teams reach the World Cup, but only two of them get to play the group stage. Full details are in our World Cup Qualifier 2027 guide.
Our take
West Indies are the team to watch. They have the talent to win the Qualifier outright and avoid the Super Series. If they finish 2nd to 4th, they could be out of the World Cup after two games in Windhoek, which would be a disaster for the sport.
Final group line-up
- Group A: India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Qualifier A
- Group B: New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh, Qualifier B
See every fixture in our World Cup 2027 schedule and how the stages work in the format guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many teams have qualified for the 2027 World Cup?
10 of 14: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Have West Indies qualified for the 2027 World Cup?
Not yet. They must play the World Cup Qualifier from 26 February to 21 March 2027.
Is Namibia playing the 2027 World Cup?
Namibia is a co-host but did not get an automatic place. It must qualify like other teams.
What was the cut-off date for direct qualification?
30 September 2026, using the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings.
Sources we used
- Wikipedia: 2027 Cricket World Cup
- Wikipedia: 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier
- ESPNcricinfo: South Africa, Namibia to co-host ODI World Cup Qualifier
- ICC media release: schedule revealed and ballot opens
About this guide. Written by the T20 Cricinfo desk. Every date, venue and number on this page is checked against the ICC’s own announcements first, then major cricket media. When the ICC changes anything, we update this page and the date below.
Last updated: 7 November 2026.
