Nepal will host the ICC Men's ODI World Cup Qualifier Playoff from December 4 to December 21, 2026. Eight teams will play a single round-robin in Kathmandu, and only the top four will move on to the 2027 ODI World Cup Global Qualifier. Here is the schedule, the format and what the numbers say about the qualification race.
Tournament Snapshot: Format and Key Numbers
The ICC confirmed the tournament on Friday, November 6. Matches will be played at two Kathmandu venues: the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur and the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground.
Every team plays each of the other seven sides once. That produces a compact, structured fixture list over an eighteen-day window.
ICC Men's ODI World Cup Qualifier Playoff: key facts| Metric | Value |
|---|
| Dates | December 4 to December 21, 2026 |
| Participating teams | 8 |
| Format | Single round-robin |
| Total matches | 28 |
| Matches per team | 7 |
| Matches per venue | 14 each |
| Days with no matches | 4 (Dec 8, 11, 16, 19) |
| Teams advancing | 4 (top four) |
With four of eight teams advancing, half the field progresses. That is a relatively generous cut for a playoff, though a single loss or two could still decide the final standings.
How Qualification Works
Two Pathways, One Playoff
The eight teams come from two ICC pathways. Four sides qualified through the ICC World Cup League 2, and the other four came through the ICC Challenge League Cup.
Participating teams by qualification pathway| Pathway | Teams | Count |
|---|
| ICC World Cup League 2 | Nepal, UAE, Canada, Namibia | 4 |
| ICC Challenge League Cup | Italy, Uganda, Jersey, Kuwait | 4 |
The split is even, so the playoff pits teams from the higher-tier League 2 against Challenge League Cup qualifiers. That gives a useful test of relative strength between the two streams.
What the Top Four Earn
The top four teams after the round-robin advance to the Global Qualifier. There they will join Full Member nations and other qualifiers competing for the remaining places at the 2027 ODI World Cup.
For the sides that miss out, the tournament ends after seven matches. The margin between fourth and fifth place is therefore the key figure to watch.
Nepal's Home Schedule
Nepal open against Italy on December 4 at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground. All seven of their fixtures are at that venue, a notable home advantage over the rest of the field.
Nepal's fixtures| Date | Opponent | Venue | Days since previous match |
|---|
| December 4 | Italy | Tribhuvan University | - |
| December 6 | Uganda | Tribhuvan University | 2 |
| December 10 | UAE | Tribhuvan University | 4 |
| December 12 | Jersey | Tribhuvan University | 2 |
| December 14 | Canada | Tribhuvan University | 2 |
| December 18 | Namibia | Tribhuvan University | 4 |
| December 21 | Kuwait | Tribhuvan University | 3 |
Workload and Rest Patterns
Nepal's gaps between matches range from two to four days. The longest breaks come before the UAE and Namibia games, which gives the team recovery time ahead of two of its tougher fixtures.
Nepal also close the tournament against Kuwait on December 21. That means their final match could carry direct qualification implications.
Full Match Schedule
The schedule below lists all 28 matches by date. Four rest days are spread through the tournament.
Complete fixture list| Date | Tribhuvan University | Upper Mulpani |
|---|
| Fri, Dec 4 | Nepal vs Italy | Namibia vs Uganda |
| Sat, Dec 5 | UAE vs Jersey | Kuwait vs Canada |
| Sun, Dec 6 | Nepal vs Uganda | Italy vs Namibia |
| Mon, Dec 7 | Kuwait vs Jersey | Canada vs UAE |
| Tue, Dec 8 | No matches |
| Wed, Dec 9 | Canada vs Italy | Jersey vs Uganda |
| Thu, Dec 10 | Nepal vs UAE | Kuwait vs Namibia |
| Fri, Dec 11 | No matches |
| Sat, Dec 12 | Nepal vs Jersey | Namibia vs Canada |
| Sun, Dec 13 | Uganda vs Kuwait | UAE vs Italy |
| Mon, Dec 14 | Nepal vs Canada | Jersey vs Namibia |
| Tue, Dec 15 | Uganda vs Italy | UAE vs Kuwait |
| Wed, Dec 16 | No matches |
| Thu, Dec 17 | Italy vs Kuwait | Jersey vs Canada |
| Fri, Dec 18 | Nepal vs Namibia | Uganda vs UAE |
| Sat, Dec 19 | No matches |
| Sun, Dec 20 | Namibia vs UAE | Italy vs Jersey |
| Mon, Dec 21 | Nepal vs Kuwait | Canada vs Uganda |
What to Watch in the Qualification Race
A seven-match round-robin with a 50 percent advancement rate rewards consistency. Teams that avoid early losses will hold an advantage, since there are few matches in which to recover.
Net run rate could matter if teams finish level on points, although tie-break rules were not detailed in the announcement. Head-to-head results among the teams in contention will be worth tracking closely.
Nepal's home conditions and fixed venue should be a measurable edge. The other seven teams will move between two grounds, while Nepal stay at one. How that translates into wins is the key statistic to follow once the tournament begins.