While the ICC is yet to announce the date, venue and format for the Qualifier, Cricinfo understands the tournament is likely to be in played early 2027. The ICC has also not yet finalised the venue. The format, though, is likely to remain the same as it was for the 2023 World Cup Qualifier with 10 teams split across two groups of five, followed by a Super Six.
On Monday the ICC announced radical changes to the format for the 2027 ODI World Cup to the model originally approved by the governing body in 2021. One major change is the number of teams making the main round of the World Cup. In the original model 14 teams were to be split across two groups, before moving to the Super Six; in the new format the main round features 12 teams in two groups followed by a Super Seven round before the semi-finals and final. This has had an impact on the progression of the top four teams from the Qualifier.
Originally, they would have been split across two groups of seven each and enjoyed the benefit of playing more matches against top sides. In the new model, the top eight teams in the ODI rankings at the end of September 2026, along with two of the three co-hosts – South Africa and Zimbabwe – make the 10 teams gaining direct entry for the World Cup, set to be played in October-November with Namibia as the third co-host.
The Super Seven round, which is making its debut at this World Cup, will comprise the top three teams from each of the two groups of six along with the next-best-ranked team (on points table) across both groups. The Super Seven round comprises 21 matches with seven teams playing each other in round-robin format with the top four qualifying for the semi-finals, which will pit 1 against 4 and 2 against 3, followed by the final.
The Challenge League comprises 12 teams divided into two pools of six and each will play three round-robin tournaments over the cycle. The top two teams from each pool will move on to the World Cup Qualifier Playoff.
