2024–2026 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League explained

2024–2026 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League
Fromdate:2024
Todate:2026
Administrator:International Cricket Council
Cricket Format:List A
Tournament Format:Round-robin
Host:Various
Participants:12
Matches:90
Previous Year:2019–2022
Previous Tournament:2019–2022 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League

The 2024–2026 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League[1] is the second edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League and a cricket tournament which forms part of the 2027 Cricket World Cup qualification process.

Teams and qualification

The league features twelve teams: those finishing 2nd–4th in their respective league in the 2019–2022 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League, the top four finishers from 2024 ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League Play-off[2] and two teams from the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off.[3] [4]

That tournament saw Canada, winner of League A in the previous Challenge League being promoted to League 2 status, while Papua New Guinea was relegated. The other Challenge League winner, Jersey, was not successful in obtaining promotion. The top 2 teams from both groups A and B will secure a spot at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff.[5]

scope=col Method of qualification Date of qualification Venues Number of teams Teams
26 March – 5 April 2023 Namibia
16 September 2019 – 13 December 2022 Various
22 February – 3 March 2024 Malaysia
Total 12

Points table

League B

Fixtures

Each group was scheduled to play three times in a single round-robin tournament format, once each year from 2024 to 2026. This amounts to 15 matches per team and a grand total of 90 matches.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CWC League 2 and Challenge League cycle to continue for 2027 world cup qualification. 4 April 2023.
  2. Web site: ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualification Pathway Frequently Asked Questions . 12 August 2019 . 6 March 2020 . International Cricket Council .
  3. Web site: Everything you need to know about the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off . International Cricket Council . 25 March 2023.
  4. Web site: Race for League 2 top three set for thrilling climax after Nepal tri-series clean sweep . 22 February 2023 .
  5. Web site: icc . 2024-03-28 . Groups announced for ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Challenge League . 2024-08-10 . www.icc-cricket.com . en.
  6. Web site: Cricket Kenya to host first round of CWC Challange League group in September 2024 . Czarsportz Global . 15 August 2024.