The T20 World Cup 2024 is in full swing, with underdog USA already qualified for the Super eight. The finalist of the previous edition, Pakistan, has been eliminated. The qualification process for the 2026 T20 World Cup is taking shape. The tenth edition of T20 world cup will see 20 teams compete after going through the qualification process. Here's a breakdown of how teams will secure their spots:

Direct Qualifiers:

• Hosts: India and Sri Lanka, as co-hosts, are the first two teams to qualify automatically.
• Super 8 Teams: All teams that reach the Super 8 stage in the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup will gain automatic entry into the 2026 edition. So far, these teams are:
• India (Group A)
• South Africa (Group D)
• West Indies & Afghanistan (Group C)
• Australia & England (Group B)
• USA (Group A)

Remaining Spots:

• From Group Stage: From the remaining group, Group D (Bangladesh or Netherlands) will advance to the Super 8s, joining Sri Lanka, bringing the total to nine qualified teams.
• Top Ranked Teams: Three additional teams will be determined based on the ICC Men's T20I rankings table on June 30th, 2024. Currently, Pakistan (7th) and New Zealand (6th) hold the advantage, with a significant lead over teams like Bangladesh (9th).

Regional Qualifiers:

• The remaining eight spots will be filled through regional qualification processes conducted by the ICC:
• Two teams each from Europe, Asia, and Africa.
• One team each from the East Asia Pacific and Americas regions.

For Reference:

This year's qualifiers through regional pathways were:

• Europe: Ireland and Scotland
• Asia: Nepal and Oman
• Africa: Namibia and Uganda
• Americas: Canada
• East Asia Pacific: Papua New Guinea

Note: The USA gained direct entry as co-hosts.

This clarifies the path for teams aiming to participate in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The upcoming weeks in the 2024 tournament will be crucial for several teams, while the June 30th rankings will determine the final three automatic qualifiers. The regional qualifiers will provide opportunities for other teams to stake their claim.