The UAE defeated Japan by eight wickets at the Super 6 stage of the Asia & East Asia Pacific Qualifier in Al Amerat, Oman, on Thursday, to book their berth at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as the final and 20th team.

The 2026 World Cup, which will be the 10th edition in the shortest format overall, is the second edition where 20 teams are participating.

There were 12 teams in the T20 World Cup from the inaugural edition in 2007 to the fourth in 2012. The International Cricket Council expanded the tournament’s participation to 16 teams from the fifth edition in 2014, while there were slots for 20 teams from the ninth edition in 2024.

Nepal, who qualified for the T20 World Cup whenever the number of participants was increased—for the first time in 2014 and the second in 2024—have made it to the biggest T20 event back-to-back for the first time.

Nepal secured their spot at the 2026 T20 World Cup—set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka—alongside Oman, following strong performances in the Asia & East Asia Pacific Qualifier. Both teams booked their tickets to the tournament even before facing each other on Wednesday, having collected six points each from their first three matches. With results from other fixtures going in their favour, they confirmed qualification with two games to spare.

And when the Rhinos faced Oman in the last and third match of the Qualifier on Wednesday, Nepal registered a 38-run victory to top the table and increase the chances of ending the Qualifier as the winners.

While it will be the third participation in the T20 World Cup for Nepal, it will be the fourth time for Oman. Nepal would lift the Asia & EAP Qualifier trophy if they defeat Samoa today.

12 teams qualified directly

Out of the 20 slots in the 2026 World Cup, 12 teams ensured their participation automatically.

India and Sri Lanka took two seats as the hosts, while seven teams—South Africa, England, Afghanistan, Australia, the West Indies, Bangladesh and the USA—qualified on the merit of making it to the Super 8 in the 2024 edition.

Meanwhile, three other teams—New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland—progressed to the tournament based on the ICC Men’s T20I Ranking.

The remaining eight spots were to be decided through four regional qualifiers.

There were five regional qualifiers—Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and East Asia Pacific (EAP)—for the 2024 edition. However, the ICC combined the Asia and EAP regions this time and brought the regional qualifiers down to four.

In 2024, Asia had two spots, and the EAP had one. In 2025, the joint Asia & EAP were given three spots.

There were nine teams in the Asia & EAP Qualifier. Nepal, Oman and Papua New Guinea reached the Qualifier automatically as they had participated in the 2024 World Cup.

Samoa and Japan progressed by winning the EAP Sub-Regional Qualifier A and B, respectively. Malaysia and Kuwait qualified from Asia Sub-Regional A, while the UAE and Qatar qualified from Asia Sub-Regional B.

The eight qualified teams

The Asia & EAP Qualifier was the last of the four to be conducted. Nepal and Oman became the first two teams to qualify from the region, while the UAE progressed as the third and final team after defeating Japan on Thursday.

The first regional qualifier took place in the Americas between four teams—Canada, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Bahamas—from June 15 to 22. There was only one spot in the World Cup from the Americas, and Canada secured it after winning all six matches played in the double round-robin format.

With the qualification, Canada, who qualified for the T20 World Cup for the first time in 2024, also ensured a back-to-back entry to the main event.

From July 5 to 11, five teams—the Netherlands, Italy, Jersey, Scotland and Guernsey—contested in a single round-robin format in the Europe Qualifier, from which two teams were travelling to South Asia. The Dutch side, with six points from three wins in four matches, topped the table and qualified for their seventh T20 World Cup, which is their sixth consecutive participation.

The other team from Europe was Italy, who shocked the cricketing world after defeating Scotland by 12 runs and finishing the Qualifier with five points, besting Jersey in net run rate. It will be the first cricket World Cup for Italy, a footballing country that has won the FIFA World Cup four times.

Likewise, Namibia and Zimbabwe qualified from the Africa Qualifier, which took place from September 26 to October 4 between eight teams. Namibia qualified after topping Group A, comprising Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi, while Zimbabwe bested Tanzania, Uganda and Botswana in Group B.