New Delhi, August 11: The West Indies cricket team, winners of the first two editions of the ODI World Cup, will need to participate in a qualifying tournament to secure a spot in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
The West Indies did not qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India. This marked the first time in ODI World Cup history that the team was absent, which also resulted in their failure to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
By September 30, 2026, the top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings (excluding hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe) will qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup. Teams that have already secured their spots include Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Afghanistan has also qualified by winning two consecutive ODIs against Ireland.
To secure a place in the 2027 World Cup, the West Indies must perform well in the qualifiers scheduled for February next year. The winner of the qualifiers will gain direct entry into the second round of the 2027 World Cup, while the teams finishing second, third, and fourth will compete in the first round, known as the Super Series. The top team from this tri-series will then advance to the second round.
The qualifiers will include the two lowest-ranked non-host full members (Ireland and West Indies), the top four teams from the Cricket World Cup League 2, and the top four teams from the World Cup qualifier playoffs. This playoff will feature the bottom four teams from the CWC League 2 alongside four teams from the Challenge League. The top four teams from these eight will progress to the World Cup qualifiers. The format is yet to be finalized. The Challenge League consists of 12 teams divided into two pools of six, with each team playing a round-robin tournament. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the World Cup qualifier playoffs.
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