Two-time champions West Indies will have to navigate the qualifying route for a third consecutive time to earn a spot at the 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup. Cut-Off Missed: The top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings on September 30, 2026—excluding co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe—secure direct entry. Afghanistan locked up the final direct spot following their win over Ireland, leaving 10th-ranked West Indies out of contention even if they win their remaining ODIs against India. Direct Qualifiers: Defending champions Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, South Africa, and Zimbabwe have all secured direct berths. Third Consecutive Qualifier: After playing the qualifiers for the 2019 and 2023 tournaments—and missing out on the 2023 World Cup altogether—West Indies must once again play the Qualifier tournament scheduled for February 2027. Qualifier Format: The 2027 World Cup Qualifier will feature: Bottom two non-host Full Members in the ODI rankings (West Indies and Ireland). Top four teams from CWC League 2. Top four teams from the World Cup Qualifier Playoff (a mix of lower CWC League 2 teams and top Challenge League teams). The "Super Series" Twist: The winner of the Qualifier will directly advance to the second round of the 2027 World Cup, while the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-placed teams will enter a "Super Series" tri-series to battle for the final spot in the second round. Full Member Entrants: The two lowest-ranked non-host Full Members in the ICC ODI rankings as of September 30, 2026—Ireland and West Indies—will enter the Qualifier directly. Qualifier Composition: The final Qualifier tournament will feature 10 teams: 2 Bottom-ranked Full Members (Ireland and West Indies). Top 4 teams from Cricket World Cup League 2. Top 4 teams from the World Cup Qualifier Playoff. Qualifier Playoff Structure: An 8-team Playoff tournament will determine the remaining four Qualifier spots: Bottom 4 teams from Cricket World Cup League 2. Top 4 teams from the Challenge League (top two teams from each of the two six-team pools). Challenge League Setup: Features 12 teams split across two pools of six, with each pool playing three round-robin tournaments across the cycle to decide the top two teams advancing to the Playoff.