USA secured the sixteenth and final place at the 2026 Under-19 Men’s World Cup, confirming the full list of sides heading to Zimbabwe and Namibia. The co-hosts split hosting duties, with Zimbabwe qualifying automatically as a Full Member, while Namibia still had to come through Africa’s regional event and fell short.
USA swept the Americas qualifier, seeing off Canada, Bermuda and Argentina. “Securing that final spot was massive for the group and for the growth of the game back home,” USA head coach Kevin Darlington said after the decisive win.
Ten nations booked their tickets courtesy of top-ten finishes at the 2024 edition: India, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa and West Indies. They join Zimbabwe to complete the automatic entrants.
Five regional titles filled the remaining slots:
• Africa – Tanzania beat hosts Namibia, then overpowered Kenya to finish unbeaten.
• Asia – Afghanistan edged Nepal on net run-rate after rain washed out their head-to-head match.
• East Asia-Pacific – Japan topped the mini-league to claim a second successive World Cup appearance.
• Europe – Scotland held their nerve on the final day against the Netherlands.
• Americas – USA finished clear at the summit with three straight wins.
ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley welcomed the diversity of qualifiers. “Zimbabwe and Namibia have proven credentials as hosts and will provide excellent conditions for top-level youth cricket,” he noted in the governing body’s release.
Tournament structure remains familiar. The sixteen teams will be drawn into four groups of four; the top three from each group progress to the Super Sixes, carrying forward points earned against fellow qualifiers. The best two from each Super Six pool then move on to the semi-finals.
India go in as the competition’s most decorated side with five titles, while defending champions Australia sit one back on four. For emerging nations such as Tanzania and Japan, simply reaching the main stage represents a significant milestone. Scotland captain Owen Gould summed up that sentiment neatly: “We’ve earned the right to test ourselves against the world’s best – now the hard work really begins.”
Preparations will accelerate over the next 18 months, with warm-up tours and career-defining selection trials on the horizon. For players, it is a rare showcase; for their boards, a chance to measure progress against the global benchmark.
