- By Sunny Daud
- Wed, 05 Aug 2026 05:42 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalised the schedule for the 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifier, which will be played from February 22 to March 23, 2027. However, the venue for the tournament has not yet been announced.
How many teams will compete in the ODI World Cup 2027 qualifiers?
The Qualifier will feature 10 teams and will play a key role in deciding the final places for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Under the ICC’s new qualification system, introduced in July, only the team that wins the Qualifier will earn a direct place in the 14-team World Cup group stage.
The teams finishing second, third and fourth will still remain in contention. They will move into the tournament’s opening phase, called the Super Series, where they will compete for one last place in the 12-team main stage. Only the top-ranked team from the Super Series will qualify.
The 2027 ODI World Cup itself will be held from October 4 to November 21 across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with matches scheduled at 12 venues.
Who is in the ODI World Cup 2027 Qualifiers?
The Qualifier will include the two lowest-ranked Full Member nations in the ODI rankings, excluding hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, as of September 30, 2026. They will be joined by the top four teams from the Cricket World Cup League 2 and the top four teams from the World Cup Qualifier Playoff.
The Qualifier Playoff will feature eight teams. It will include the bottom four sides from League 2 and the top four teams from the Challenge League. Although the format of the Playoff has not been confirmed yet, the top four teams will advance to the World Cup Qualifier.
The Challenge League consists of 12 teams divided into two groups of six. Each group will play three round-robin tournaments during the qualification cycle. The top two teams from each group will move on to the Qualifier Playoff.
Meanwhile, West Indies could once again face the long road to the World Cup. The two-time champions are currently 10th in the ODI rankings and have only two matches left before the September 30 cut-off, both against India.
Their hopes of finishing inside the top eight also depend on other results. The upcoming ODI series between Afghanistan, who are eighth, and Ireland, who are 12th, will be crucial. If Ireland win the five-match series by 4-1 or 5-0, and West Indies beat India twice, the Caribbean side could climb into the top eight. But if Afghanistan win the series, West Indies are likely to miss direct qualification and will have to play the Qualifier.
The West Indies know how difficult that route can be. They also missed the 2023 ODI World Cup after suffering a heartbreaking Super Over defeat to the Netherlands in the Qualifier at Harare, ending their hopes of reaching the tournament.