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Today marks the start of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Asia Qualifier route, with nine sides vying for two slots in the global qualifier stage as Thailand hosts the Asia Qualifier.
Running from May 9 to May 20, the Asia Qualifier will see 21 matches played across two venues in Bangkok - Terdthai Cricket Ground (TCG) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). The action begins with hosts Thailand facing Kuwait at TCG, while Nepal take on Hong Kong China and UAE clash with Malaysia at AIT.
The teams are divided into three groups:
Group A: Thailand, Kuwait, Bhutan
Group B: UAE, Malaysia, Qatar
Group C: Nepal, Hong Kong China, Bahrain
After the group stage, the winners of each group will move into a Super Three round-robin, which will determine the two teams advancing to the final global Qualifier.
The Asia Qualifier offers two of the four remaining spots in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier - the final step before the main event in England and Wales. Matches will stream live on ICC.tv, with FanCode carrying the coverage in the Asian subcontinent.
ICC Development Manager - Asia, Aminul Islam, praised the progress in women's cricket across the continent:
"The standard of women's cricket across Asia is rising rapidly, with notable improvements in skill, fitness, and competitiveness at all levels. The progress we are witnessing is truly inspiring."
CEO of the Cricket Association of Thailand, Mohideen A. Kader, expressed pride in hosting:
"The Cricket Association of Thailand is delighted to yet again host a multi-nation tournament for the ICC. We hope that every team is able to play to the best of its abilities in the coming weeks."
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 will feature a record 12 teams playing 33 matches across top English venues, including Edgbaston, The Oval, and Old Trafford. The tournament runs from June 12 to July 5, concluding with a grand final at Lord's Cricket Ground.
New Zealand, Australia, England, India, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies are the eight teams who have already qualified. Ten teams, including Bangladesh, Scotland, the USA (the Americas champions), and two teams from this Asia qualifier, will compete in the global qualifier to fill the final four berths.
Source: ICC Media Release
