Italy Made History with Maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualification. Italy has officially qualified for its first-ever ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. The Azzurri confirmed their qualification even after losing to the Netherlands in their final game of the European Regional Final; their net run rate was sufficient, based on earlier victories, including a brilliant 12-run win over Scotland.
In the final of the tournament, Italy ended atop the table with a net run rate of +1.722, led by captain Joe Burn, —a former Australian Test opener. Despite losing to the Netherlands in the final of the tournament, Italy’s overall points made it impossible to overtake them, confirming their place as the 25th nation to compete in the Men’s T20 World Cup.
European Duo through to T20 World Cup
| Position | Team | Qualified |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Netherlands | ✅ |
| 2nd | Italy | ✅ |
| 3rd | Jersey | ❌ |
| 4th | Scotland | ❌ |
| 5th | Guernsey | ❌ |
Qualifying alongside Italy from the European qualifier were the Netherlands, who finished top of the table and secured the second of the two available spots. The Dutch will now have qualified for every T20 World Cup since 2014 and return as Europe’s most experienced associate member.
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As the countdown to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 begins, Italy and the Netherlands will join England and Ireland to form a strong European contingent in the tournament, highlighting the expanding footprint of cricket across the continent.
Teams to qualifiy for T20 World Cup 2026 so far: India, Sri Lanka, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, United States, West Indies, Ireland, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Canada, Italy, Netherlands.
