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New Zealand booked their place at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a convincing win over Papua New Guinea (PNG) on the final day of the 2024 T20 WC group stage. The victory, coupled with favourable results elsewhere in Group C, secured New Zealand third place and a coveted automatic qualification spot for the next edition of the marquee tournament, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The Blackcaps needed just a win against PNG to confirm their qualification. They dominated the encounter, restricting PNG to a meagre 78 runs before comfortably chasing down the target in 12.2 overs with seven wickets in hand.
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The United States of America (USA), the surprise package of the ongoing T20 World Cup, were the only associate nation to achieve direct qualification for the 2026 ICC tournament.
Qualified teams for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
- Hosts: India and Sri Lanka
- Super 8 Qualifiers: Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, West Indies, South Africa, USA, England
- Next Highest Ranked: Pakistan, Ireland, New Zealand
The 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup will once again feature 20 teams. The remaining eight spots will be determined through regional qualifiers in Africa, Asia and Europe. The Americas and East Asia-Pacific regions will each send one additional team to the global showpiece.
