Mapping the Journey: The Road Ahead to the 2027 ODI World Cup.

The journey towards the upcoming men's ODI World Cup kicked off last week in Kirtipur, marking the beginning of the Cricket World Cup League 2 (CWC L2) with the first of 24 triangular series.

The 2027 tournament, set for October-November, promises to be bigger with 14 teams battling it out across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in a total of 54 matches. 

While ten Full Member teams secure their spots through rankings and host status, some teams will have to navigate through a longer, more challenging journey to make it to the main event.

Which teams automatically secured their spots?

Among the co-hosts, South Africa and Zimbabwe, alongside eight other top-ranked teams according to the ICC's ODI rankings, have secured automatic berths. The specific date for reviewing the rankings for qualification hasn't been announced yet.

What's the status for the third co-host?

Namibia will need to navigate through the qualification process. If they don't make it to the main event, there's a possibility of having matches held in Namibia without Namibia being part of the tournament.

What's the plan for Namibia to secure their spot in the World Cup?

Namibia is part of the CWC L2, an eight-team tournament spanning three years. The top four teams from this competition move on to a World Cup qualifier. 

This qualifier involves ten teams, including the two lowest-ranked Full Members (excluding South Africa and/or Zimbabwe), the top four from CWC L2, and the top four from a World Cup Qualifier Playoff. 

From these ten teams, the top four secure a spot in the World Cup.

The bottom four teams from CWC L2 join four teams from the Challenge League in a tournament called the World Cup Qualifier Playoff. 

The format is still under consideration, but the top four from this eight-team playoff advance to the World Cup qualifier.

This setup offers teams in CWC L2 two chances to reach the qualifier, potentially allowing a Challenge League team to also qualify for the main event.