Namibia and Zimbabwe have secured their places at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after reaching the final of the Africa Regional Qualifier in Harare on Thursday. Both teams booked tickets for the tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March 2026.

Namibia Cruises to Fourth Consecutive T20WC

Namibia defeated Tanzania by 63 runs in a thrilling semi-final. The Eagles were struggling at 41/4 in the fifth over but recovered through a match-turning partnership of 88 runs in 7.4 overs between Gerhard Erasmus and JJ Smit.

Erasmus’ calm innings and Smit’s aggressive counter-attack helped Namibia post 174/6. Their bowlers then restricted Tanzania to 111/8, securing a comfortable win. This victory marks Namibia’s fourth consecutive T20 World Cup qualification, following appearances in 2021, 2022, and 2024.

Zimbabwe Returns to the Big Stage

Hosts Zimbabwe, absent from the 2024 edition, bounced back emphatically by defeating Kenya by seven wickets. Kenya set a modest target of 123, largely thanks to Rakep Patel’s 65 (47). Zimbabwe chased it down in 15 overs, with opener Brian Bennett hitting a blistering 51 off 25 balls.

The Zimbabwean bowlers had earlier restricted Kenya to 122/6, paving the way for a smooth chase. With this win, Zimbabwe became the 17th team to qualify for T20 World Cup 2026.

Upcoming Africa Final

Namibia and Zimbabwe will face off in the Africa Regional Final on October 4, but both sides have already secured their World Cup spots.

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Full List of Teams Qualified for T20 World Cup 2026

 Only three spots remain, which will be decided via the Asia-EAP Qualifier next year.

Zimbabwe Set to Host Afghanistan

In other news, Zimbabwe will host Afghanistan for a one-off Test and three T20Is in October-November.

Zimbabwe’s managing director Givemore Makoni highlighted that matches against Afghanistan are “keenly contested and entertaining,” promising exciting cricket for fans. 

Namibia and Zimbabwe are now back on the T20 World Cup stage, ready to challenge the world’s best next February in India and Sri Lanka.

The qualification pathway for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup takes a major step forward as Zimbabwe gets ready to host the Africa Regional Final from 19 September to 4 October 2025. Eight of the continent’s top teams will compete in Harare for two prized spots at next year’s T20 World Cup, joining South Africa, who have already qualified as one of the top eight finishers from the 2024 edition.

This tournament represents the last part of the African qualification process, after three testing sub-regional qualifications, and automatic qualifications for Namibia and Uganda for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.

Qualified Teams

• Namibia (from the 2024 T20 World Cup)
  
• Uganda (from the 2024 T20 World Cup)
  
• Malawi and Tanzania (from Africa Qualifier A)
  
• Kenya and Zimbabwe (from Africa Qualifier B)
  
• Botswana and Nigeria (from Africa Qualifier C)
  

Tournament Format

The eight teams have been split into two groups of four, with each team playing three group-stage matches. The top two from each group will progress to the semi-finals, and the winners of those will qualify directly for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

All matches will be hosted at two venues in Harare: the Harare Sports Club and Takashinga Cricket Club.

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Complete Fixtures – 2025 Africa Regional Final

Group Stage Matches

Group A: Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi

• 26 Sept: Kenya vs Namibia – Harare Sports Club
  
• 26 Sept: Malawi vs Nigeria – Takashinga Cricket Club
  
• 28 Sept: Namibia vs Nigeria – Harare Sports Club
  
• 28 Sept: Kenya vs Malawi – Takashinga Cricket Club
  
• 30 Sept: Namibia vs Malawi – Harare Sports Club
  
• 30 Sept: Kenya vs Nigeria – Takashinga Cricket Club
  

Group B: Botswana, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe

• 26 Sept: Zimbabwe vs Uganda – Harare Sports Club
  
• 26 Sept: Botswana vs Tanzania – Takashinga Cricket Club
  
• 28 Sept: Tanzania vs Uganda – Takashinga Cricket Club
  
• 28 Sept: Zimbabwe vs Botswana – Harare Sports Club
  
• 30 Sept: Zimbabwe vs Tanzania – Harare Sports Club
  
• 30 Sept: Botswana vs Uganda – Takashinga Cricket Club
  

Play-offs & Knockouts

2 October – Semi-finals

• SF1: Group A 1st vs Group B 2nd – Harare Sports Club
  
• SF2: Group B 1st vs Group A 2nd – Harare Sports Club
  

2 October – 5th Place Semi-finals

• 5th SF1: Group A 3rd vs Group B 4th – Takashinga Cricket Club
  
• 5th SF2: Group B 3rd vs Group A 4th – Takashinga Cricket Club
  

Finals – 4 October 2025

• 7th Place Play-off: Loser of 5th SF1 vs Loser of 5th SF2 – Takashinga Cricket Club
  
• 5th Place Play-off: Winner of 5th SF1 vs Winner of 5th SF2 – Takashinga Cricket Club
  
• 3rd Place Play-off: Loser of SF1 vs Loser of SF2 – Harare Sports Club
  
• Final: Winner of SF1 vs Winner of SF2 – Harare Sports Club
  

What’s at Stake

The two finalists will qualify directly for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, joining South Africa to represent the African continent. With competitive squads and balanced groups, the tournament promises high-stakes action as teams chase a dream World Cup ticket.

The African Regional Final is more than just a qualifying event; it’s a platform for emerging teams like Nigeria, Botswana, and Malawi to show their progress and for established sides like Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Uganda to reaffirm their regional dominance.