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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a new qualification format for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, reducing the main tournament to 12 teams and adding a new “Super Series” stage before the final competition.
Under the revised format, 10 teams will qualify directly for the World Cup, including co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe. This means several Full Member nations could still be forced to compete in the qualifying tournament if they fail to secure automatic qualification.
However, playing in the qualifiers will not necessarily mean missing out on the World Cup. The winners of the 10-team qualifying tournament will earn the 11th spot in the main event, while the teams finishing second, third and fourth will compete in a newly introduced three-team Super Series. The winner of that competition will claim the final berth, completing the 12-team World Cup lineup.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the World Cup Qualifier is expected to be held in early 2027. As in previous editions, 10 teams will participate and be divided into two groups. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage before the finalists are determined.
The ICC had earlier announced that the 2027 World Cup would feature 14 teams. However, it has now revised the structure, opting for a 12-team tournament instead.
In the main event, the 12 teams will be split into two groups of six. The top three teams from each group, along with the next best-performing side, will progress to the Super Seven stage. The top four teams from the Super Seven will then advance to the semi-finals.
The final list of automatically qualified teams is expected to be confirmed at the end of September based on the ICC ODI rankings.
Since South Africa are currently ranked among the world’s top 10 teams and qualify automatically as hosts, the top nine ranked teams are expected to secure direct qualification through the rankings. Zimbabwe, as the other co-host, will also receive an automatic berth.
That leaves Bangladesh and the West Indies locked in a crucial battle for a direct World Cup place. Bangladesh currently occupy ninth place in the ICC ODI rankings with 83 rating points, while the West Indies are 10th with 75 points. The race for automatic qualification is therefore expected to remain intense in the coming months.
