Quick answer
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2027 runs from 26 February to 21 March 2027, co-hosted by South Africa and Namibia. Ten teams play for four World Cup places. The winner goes straight to the World Cup group stage; teams finishing 2nd to 4th go to the Super Series in Windhoek in October 2027.
Qualifier 2027 at a glance
| Dates | 26 February – 21 March 2027 |
|---|---|
| Hosts | South Africa and Namibia |
| Teams | 10 |
| Format | Group round-robin, then play-offs. All matches have ODI status. |
| Prize | 4 places at the 2027 World Cup |
Which teams are in the Qualifier?
| Route | Teams |
|---|---|
| ICC ODI rankings (2 places) | West Indies, Ireland |
| Cricket World Cup League 2, 2024–26 (top 4) | Netherlands, Scotland, United States, 1 to be confirmed |
| Qualifier Play-off, Nepal, December 2026 (top 4) | 4 to be decided |
We will update this table after the Qualifier Play-off in December.
What finishing position means
- 1st: into the World Cup group stage as one of the 12 group teams.
- 2nd, 3rd, 4th: into the Super Series in Windhoek from 2 to 6 October 2027. The three play each other once and only the winner reaches the group stage.
- 5th to 10th: no World Cup.
This is why the Qualifier final day matters so much. Winning it is worth far more than finishing second. More on the stages in our format explainer.
Why the Qualifier is in Africa
Holding the Qualifier in South Africa and Namibia means the teams that get through will already have played in the same conditions and time zone as the World Cup. Namibia’s grounds in Windhoek also get a test run before the main event.
Our take
Expect West Indies and Ireland to start as favourites, with the Netherlands and Scotland close behind. The Netherlands beat South Africa at the 2023 World Cup, and Scotland have been strong in League 2. The US are the story to follow: a team that reached the Super 8 at the 2024 T20 World Cup now chasing its first ODI World Cup.
Who joins which group?
The two teams that come through (Qualifier winner and Super Series winner) become Qualifier A and Qualifier B and slot into Group A (with India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe) and Group B (with New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and Bangladesh). See the full list of qualified teams.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 World Cup Qualifier?
From 26 February to 21 March 2027.
Where is the 2027 World Cup Qualifier being played?
In South Africa and Namibia.
How many teams qualify from the Qualifier?
Four. The winner goes straight to the group stage, and 2nd to 4th play the Super Series, where one more team goes through.
Are West Indies in the 2027 World Cup Qualifier?
Yes, along with Ireland, both through the ODI rankings.
Sources we used
- Wikipedia: 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier
- ESPNcricinfo: South Africa, Namibia to co-host ODI World Cup Qualifier
- Wikipedia: 2027 Cricket World Cup
- 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. Teams marked ‘to be confirmed’ will be updated as soon as their places are official. When the ICC changes anything, we update this page and the date below.
Last updated: 8 November 2026.
