ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Qualification Resumes with Europe Sub Regional Qualifier B in Germany

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the resumption of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 qualification process with the Europe Sub Regional Qualifier B taking place in Germany. This significant tournament marks a major milestone in the journey to the 2026 World Cup, with ten teams vying for a spot in the Europe Qualifier and ultimately, a chance to compete against the world’s top teams.

Andrew Wright, ICC Europe Regional Development Manager, expressed his excitement about the event, stating, “We are thrilled to be continuing our fantastic summer of men’s international cricket with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Qualifier B in Germany. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Deutscher Cricket Bund to host an ICC event of this magnitude for the first time, and we are confident that the teams will give it their all to advance to the next stage.”

The tournament will be held in the cities of Krefeld, Duisburg, and Gelsenkirchen, and fans in the Nordrhein Westfalen region can look forward to live action, while those elsewhere can catch the matches on ICC.tv. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will feature 20 teams, with 12 automatic qualifiers and eight teams that qualify through regional pathway events.

The automatic qualifiers include Super 8 teams from the 2024 edition, such as Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, South Africa, West Indies, and USA, as well as Sri Lanka, who will host the tournament. Ireland, New Zealand, and Pakistan will also participate as the top three teams on the ICC Men’s T20I rankings table on June 30.

The Europe Sub Regional Qualifier B is one of three events taking place in the region this year, with the winning team progressing to the Europe Qualifier to face Scotland, Netherlands, Italy, and the winner of Sub Regional Qualifier C later in the summer. Sub Regional Qualifiers will be held across other ICC regions later in 2024, with their respective regional finals scheduled for 2025.

Deutscher Cricket Bund Chief Executive, Dieter Voigt, and President, Severin Weiss, issued a joint statement, expressing their gratitude to the ICC and numerous volunteers who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the tournament a success. They also thanked the sponsors for their dedication, which has guaranteed the economic foundation of the event.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting tournament, with teams from around the world vying for a spot in the competition. The Europe Sub Regional Qualifier B is a crucial step in the qualification process, and fans can look forward to some thrilling matches in Germany.

Historical Context:

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been organizing international cricket tournaments since 1909, with the first official Test match played between England and Australia in 1877. The ICC has been responsible for governing the sport of cricket globally, setting rules, and organizing international matches and tournaments. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the cricket calendar, with the first edition held in 2007. The tournament has grown in popularity over the years, with the 2021 edition featuring 16 teams from around the world.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is significant because it will feature 20 teams, with 12 automatic qualifiers and eight teams that qualify through regional pathway events. This is the first time the tournament will have 20 teams, making it the largest edition of the tournament to date.

Summary in Bullet Points:

• The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 qualification process resumes with the Europe Sub Regional Qualifier B taking place in Germany. • The tournament will feature 10 teams vying for a spot in the Europe Qualifier and ultimately, a chance to compete against the world’s top teams. • The automatic qualifiers include Super 8 teams from the 2024 edition, such as Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, South Africa, West Indies, and USA, as well as Sri Lanka, who will host the tournament. • Ireland, New Zealand, and Pakistan will also participate as the top three teams on the ICC Men’s T20I rankings table on June 30. • The winning team of the Europe Sub Regional Qualifier B will progress to the Europe Qualifier to face Scotland, Netherlands, Italy, and the winner of Sub Regional Qualifier C later in the summer. • The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will feature 20 teams, with 12 automatic qualifiers and eight teams that qualify through regional pathway events. • The tournament will be held in the cities of Krefeld, Duisburg, and Gelsenkirchen, with fans able to watch live action or catch matches on ICC.tv. • The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting tournament, with teams from around the world vying for a spot in the competition.