Press Statement
- Twelve teams will advance to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, divided into two groups.
- Teams will compete in three round-robin series between 2024 and 2026.
- The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff will be attended by the winners and runners-up of each group.
The 12-team competition in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Challenge League, which is a prelude to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which begins later this year, has its groupings confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) today.
A better opportunity for teams to advance than in the previous edition is provided by Challenge League A and Challenge League B, which are split into two groups of six teams each. The winners and runners-up from each group will be guaranteed a spot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff.
Denmark, Jersey, Kenya, Kuwait, Papua New Guinea, and Qatar are the teams competing in Challenge League A.
Tanzania, Uganda, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bahrain will make up Challenge League B.
Due to their success in the previous iteration of the qualification pathway, eight teams were deemed eligible for the Challenge League. Additionally, four teams—Bahrain, Italy, Kuwait, and Tanzania—got their spot by virtue of qualifying from the just-completed Challenge League Playoffs, which were held in Malaysia.
Three round-robin series will be held from 2024 to 2026 to determine which teams will advance to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff, where they will face the bottom four teams from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2. The Challenge League schedule has not yet been finalized.
The 14-team ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2027 will feature the Challenge League as a crucial stage of qualification, according to ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley. Because more teams will be able to advance in the next cycle, teams will be more motivated than ever to reach the historic global event. This competition offers a competitive platform for high-performing emerging nations to stake a for World Cup qualification.
“Best of luck to all the teams as they pursue the ultimate prize in men’s ODI cricket. Undoubtedly, this journey will reveal exceptionally talented players along the way.”
