Nepal will host the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff from 4 to 21 December 2026, with eight teams fighting for the last four places in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2027.
Opening matches in Kirtipur and Mulpani
Hosts Nepal will open their campaign against Italy at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on 4 December, while Namibia and Uganda face each other at the same time at the Mulpani Cricket Ground.
The eight teams in the playoff
Canada, Kuwait, Jersey and the United Arab Emirates are the other teams in the round-robin event, all chasing a place in the 10-team Global Qualifier.
Group of hosts and openers: Nepal, Italy, Namibia and Uganda
Other teams: Canada, Kuwait, Jersey and the United Arab Emirates
Teams already through to the Global Qualifier
Ireland and West Indies have already booked their spots in the Global Qualifier as the two highest-ranked teams outside the eight automatic World Cup qualifiers, while the USA, Scotland, the Netherlands and Oman qualified directly from the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2.
What is at stake?
The stakes could not be higher. The winner of the Global Qualifier will go straight into the group stage of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, while the teams finishing second, third and fourth will enter the newly formed Super Series.
What the ICC said
ICC General Manager of Events and Operations Gaurav Saxena said associate cricket is vital to the growth of the game, and that competitions like this give teams a chance to showcase their talent and raise their standards.
The road to the 2027 World Cup
The 2027 World Cup will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from 2 October to 21 November, featuring 14 teams and 57 matches across 12 venues. For Nepal, hosting a global qualification event at home is another big moment in the country's fast-rising cricket journey.
Source: ICC Media Release