Eight teams. One pathway. One shot at the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023–27 is the most important ODI competition in associate cricket right now.
It’s not the flashiest tournament on the calendar, but for nations like Nepal, Namibia, Canada, and the UAE, this is where World Cup dreams either stay alive or quietly die.
The competition runs from February 2024 to December 2026, featuring 144 ODIs spread across tri-series played on home, away, and neutral turf.
The top four teams at the end of the league phase earn a place at the 2027 CWC Qualifier – their gateway to the World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023–27

With the USA leading the standings and Scotland breathing down their necks, and several tri-series still to be played, the race is very much on.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023–27?
The CWC League 2 is the second tier of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup qualification pathway.
It sits below the now-scrapped Super League and above League Three, and it feeds directly into the 2027 CWC Qualifier.
This edition expanded from seven to eight teams, making it the largest and most competitive version of the competition to date.
The previous edition (2019–23) was won by Scotland, who topped the standings ahead of Oman.
Key facts at a glance:
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Format | 24 tri-series, 6 matches each (144 ODIs total) |
| Teams | 8 associate nations |
| Duration | February 2024 – December 2026 |
| Qualification spots | Top 4 advance to 2027 CWC Qualifier |
| ODI status | All matches carry full ODI status |
Every match counts. There are no knockout rounds, no second chances — just points accumulated across two and a half years of international cricket.
ICC CWC League Two 2023–27: Current Standings
The points table below reflects standings through matches played up to mid-June 2026.
| Pos | Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States of America | 24 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 36 | +0.939 |
| 2 | Scotland | 24 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 30 | +0.925 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 24 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 28 | +0.165 |
| 4 | Oman | 20 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 24 | +0.057 |
| 5 | Canada | 24 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 21 | -0.209 |
| 6 | Namibia | 24 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 19 | -0.502 |
| 7 | Nepal | 20 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 12 | -0.289 |
| 8 | United Arab Emirates | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 10 | -1.240 |
USA sit clear at the top with 36 points and an NRR of +0.939 — the strongest in the competition.
Their 339-4 against the UAE in November 2025 is the highest team total recorded in the league so far, and it tells you a lot about how dominant they’ve been with the bat.
Scotland is five points behind in second. Still very much in contention for the top spot.The The
Netherlands holds third on 28 points, ahead of Oman in fourth.
Those two qualification spots — third and fourth — are where the real tension sits.
Canada, Namibia, Nepal, and the UAE are effectively fighting to stay relevant.
The Eight Teams Competing
| Team | ICC Region | 2019–23 Finish |
|---|---|---|
| United States of America | Americas | 4th |
| Scotland | Europe | 1st (Champions) |
| Netherlands | Europe | 3rd |
| Oman | Asia | 2nd |
| Canada | Americas | 7th |
| Namibia | Africa | 5th |
| Nepal | Asia | 6th |
| United Arab Emirates | Asia | — |
Scotland is the defending champion and has been the standard-bearer of associate ODI cricket for years.
But the USA’s rise has been the story of this edition.
Co-hosting the T20 World Cup in 2024 accelerated cricket’s growth in North America, and that momentum has clearly carried into their League 2 performances.
UAE is the only team that didn’t feature in the 2019–23 edition, having entered through the qualification pathway.
How Qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup Works
The pathway from League 2 to the World Cup runs like this:
- The top 4 teams in CWC League 2 at the end of the league phase advance to the 2027 CWC Qualifier.
- At the Qualifier, they compete alongside teams from League 1 and other pathways for the remaining World Cup places.
- The 2027 ODI World Cup has 14 teams — 8 qualify automatically via ICC ODI rankings, plus the two hosts (South Africa and Zimbabwe). The remaining spots come through the Qualifier.
Points system:
- Win = 2 points
- No result / abandoned = 1 point each
- Loss = 0 points
- NRR breaks ties between teams level on points
Venues Used Across the Competition
The tri-series format means the competition genuinely travels the world. Confirmed venues used so far:
| Venue | Country | Rounds Hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur | Nepal | Feb 2024, Apr–May 2026 |
| Dubai International Cricket Stadium / ICC Academy, Dubai | UAE | Feb–Mar 2024, Oct–Nov 2025 |
| Forthill, Dundee | Scotland | Jul 2024, Jun 2025 |
| Wanderers Cricket Ground / United CC Ground, Windhoek | Namibia | Sep 2024, Apr 2026 |
| Sportpark Duivesteijn, Voorburg / SV Kampong CC, Utrecht | Netherlands | Aug 2024, May 2025 |
| Prairie View Cricket Complex / Grand Prairie Stadium, Houston/Dallas | USA | Oct–Nov 2024 |
| Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Al Amerat | Oman | Nov 2024–Feb 2025 |
| Maple Leaf North-West Ground, King City | Canada | Sep 2024, Aug–Sep 2025, Jun 2026 |
No other associate tournament spreads itself across this many continents. It’s a genuinely global competition.
Complete ICC CWC League Two 2023–27 Schedule
Matches 1–40
| Match | Date | Teams | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 15, 2024 | Nepal vs Namibia | Namibia won by 4 wickets |
| 2 | Feb 17, 2024 | Netherlands vs Nepal | Nepal won by 9 wickets |
| 3 | Feb 19, 2024 | Namibia vs Netherlands | Netherlands won by 7 wickets |
| 4 | Feb 21, 2024 | Nepal vs Namibia | Namibia won by 2 wickets |
| 5 | Feb 23, 2024 | Namibia vs Netherlands | Namibia won by 24 runs |
| 6 | Feb 25, 2024 | Nepal vs Netherlands | Netherlands won by 8 wickets |
| 7 | Feb 28, 2024 | UAE vs Canada | Canada won by 3 wickets |
| 8 | Mar 1, 2024 | Scotland vs Canada | Canada won by 7 wickets |
| 9 | Mar 3, 2024 | UAE vs Scotland | Scotland won by 8 wickets |
| 10 | Mar 5, 2024 | Canada vs UAE | Canada won by 8 runs (DLS) |
| 11 | Mar 7, 2024 | Scotland vs Canada | Canada won by 5 wickets |
| 12 | Mar 9, 2024 | UAE vs Scotland | Match Postponed |
| 13 | Jul 16, 2024 | Oman vs Scotland | No Result |
| 14 | Jul 18, 2024 | Oman vs Namibia | Namibia won by 6 wickets |
| 15 | Jul 20, 2024 | Scotland vs Namibia | Scotland won by 47 runs (DLS) |
| 16 | Jul 22, 2024 | Oman vs Scotland | Scotland won by 8 wickets |
| 17 | Jul 24, 2024 | Namibia vs Oman | Oman won by 4 wickets |
| 18 | Jul 26, 2024 | Scotland vs Namibia | Scotland won by 138 runs |
| 19 | Aug 11, 2024 | Canada vs Netherlands | Netherlands won by 5 wickets |
| 20 | Aug 13, 2024 | USA vs Canada | USA won by 14 runs |
| 21 | Aug 15, 2024 | Netherlands vs USA | Netherlands won by 19 runs |
| 22 | Aug 17, 2024 | Netherlands vs Canada | Netherlands won by 63 runs |
| 23 | Aug 19, 2024 | USA vs Canada | USA won by 50 runs |
| 24 | Aug 21, 2024 | Netherlands vs USA | Netherlands won by 27 runs |
| 25 | Sep 16, 2024 | Namibia vs USA | USA won by 6 wickets |
| 26 | Sep 16, 2024 | Canada vs Nepal | Canada won by 103 runs |
| 27 | Sep 18, 2024 | UAE vs USA | USA won by 10 wickets |
| 28 | Sep 18, 2024 | Nepal vs Oman | Oman won by 1 wicket |
| 29 | Sep 20, 2024 | Namibia vs UAE | UAE won by 1 wicket |
| 30 | Sep 20, 2024 | Canada vs Oman | Canada won by 59 runs |
| 31 | Sep 22, 2024 | Namibia vs USA | USA won by 7 wickets |
| 32 | Sep 22, 2024 | Nepal vs Canada | Canada won by 5 wickets |
| 33 | Sep 24, 2024 | USA vs UAE | USA won by 136 runs |
| 34 | Sep 24, 2024 | Nepal vs Oman | Abandoned |
| 35 | Sep 26, 2024 | UAE vs Namibia | Namibia won by 8 wickets |
| 36 | Sep 26, 2024 | Oman vs Canada | Canada won by 5 wickets |
| 37 | Oct 25, 2024 | USA vs Scotland | Scotland won by 10 wickets |
| 38 | Oct 27, 2024 | Nepal vs USA | USA won by 3 wickets |
| 39 | Oct 29, 2024 | Scotland vs Nepal | Nepal won by 5 wickets |
| 40 | Oct 31, 2024 | Scotland vs USA | Scotland won by 71 runs |
Matches 41–80
| Match | Date | Teams | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Nov 1, 2024 | UAE vs Oman | Oman won by 6 wickets |
| 42 | Nov 2, 2024 | USA vs Nepal | USA won by 37 runs |
| 43 | Nov 3, 2024 | UAE vs Netherlands | UAE won by 26 runs |
| 44 | Nov 4, 2024 | Nepal vs Scotland | No Result |
| 45 | Nov 5, 2024 | Netherlands vs Oman | Oman won by 8 wickets |
| 46 | Nov 7, 2024 | UAE vs Oman | Oman won by 4 wickets |
| 47 | Nov 9, 2024 | Netherlands vs UAE | Netherlands won by 67 runs |
| 48 | Nov 11, 2024 | Oman vs Netherlands | Oman won by 1 run |
| 49 | Feb 8, 2025 | USA vs Namibia | USA won by 114 runs |
| 50 | Feb 10, 2025 | Namibia vs Oman | Namibia won by 23 runs |
| 51 | Feb 12, 2025 | USA vs Oman | Oman won by 7 wickets |
| 52 | Feb 14, 2025 | USA vs Namibia | USA won by 70 runs |
| 53 | Feb 16, 2025 | Namibia vs Oman | Oman won by 2 wickets |
| 54 | Feb 18, 2025 | USA vs Oman | USA won by 57 runs |
| 55 | Mar 5, 2025 | Canada vs Netherlands | Abandoned |
| 56 | Mar 7, 2025 | Netherlands vs Namibia | Netherlands won by 53 runs |
| 57 | Mar 9, 2025 | Canada vs Namibia | Tied (Canada won Super Over) |
| 58 | Mar 11, 2025 | Canada vs Netherlands | Abandoned |
| 59 | Mar 13, 2025 | Namibia vs Netherlands | Netherlands won by 7 wickets |
| 60 | Mar 15, 2025 | Namibia vs Canada | Namibia won by 12 runs |
| 61 | May 4, 2025 | UAE vs Scotland | Scotland won by 3 wickets |
| 62 | May 6, 2025 | Netherlands vs UAE | Netherlands won by 113 runs |
| 63 | May 8, 2025 | UAE vs Scotland | UAE won by 97 runs |
| 64 | May 10, 2025 | Netherlands vs Scotland | Netherlands won by 19 runs |
| 65 | May 12, 2025 | UAE vs Netherlands | Netherlands won by 5 wickets |
| 66 | May 14, 2025 | UAE vs Scotland | Scotland won by 8 wickets |
| 67 | May 16, 2025 | Scotland vs Netherlands | Scotland won by 145 runs |
| 68 | May 17, 2025 | USA vs Canada | USA won by 169 runs |
| 69 | May 19, 2025 | Oman vs Canada | Oman won by 15 runs |
| 70 | May 21, 2025 | Oman vs USA | Tied (Oman won Super Over) |
| 71 | May 23, 2025 | Canada vs Oman | Oman won by 18 runs (DLS) |
| 72 | May 25, 2025 | USA vs Canada | USA won by 88 runs |
| 73 | May 27, 2025 | USA vs Oman | USA won by 9 runs |
| 74 | Jun 2, 2025 | Scotland vs Nepal | Nepal won by 1 wicket |
| 75 | Jun 4, 2025 | Netherlands vs Nepal | Nepal won by 5 wickets |
| 76 | Jun 6, 2025 | Scotland vs Netherlands | Scotland won by 44 runs |
| 77 | Jun 8, 2025 | Scotland vs Nepal | Scotland won by 2 runs |
| 78 | Jun 10, 2025 | Nepal vs Netherlands | Nepal won by 16 runs |
| 79 | Jun 12, 2025 | Scotland vs Netherlands | Netherlands won by 4 wickets |
| 80 | Aug 27, 2025 | Canada vs Namibia | Namibia won by 5 wickets |
Matches 81–121
| Match | Date | Teams | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | Aug 29, 2025 | Namibia vs Scotland | Abandoned |
| 82 | Aug 31, 2025 | Canada vs Scotland | Scotland won by 7 wickets |
| 83 | Sep 2, 2025 | Namibia vs Canada | Namibia won by 24 runs |
| 84 | Sep 4, 2025 | Scotland vs Namibia | Scotland won by 55 runs |
| 85 | Sep 6, 2025 | Canada vs Scotland | Abandoned |
| 86 | Oct 26, 2025 | USA vs Nepal | USA won by 106 runs |
| 87 | Oct 28, 2025 | UAE vs USA | USA won by 4 wickets |
| 88 | Oct 30, 2025 | Nepal vs UAE | UAE won by 5 wickets |
| 89 | Nov 1, 2025 | Nepal vs USA | USA won by 4 wickets |
| 90 | Nov 3, 2025 | USA vs UAE | USA won by 243 runs |
| 91 | Nov 5, 2025 | Nepal vs UAE | UAE won by 4 wickets |
| 92 | Apr 2, 2026 | Scotland vs Oman | Abandoned |
| 93 | Apr 4, 2026 | Namibia vs Oman | Oman won by 3 wickets |
| 94 | Apr 6, 2026 | Namibia vs Scotland | No Result |
| 95 | Apr 8, 2026 | Oman vs Scotland | Oman won by 12 runs |
| 96 | Apr 10, 2026 | Oman vs Namibia | Namibia won by 1 wicket |
| 97 | Apr 12, 2026 | Namibia vs Scotland | Scotland won by 7 wickets |
| 98 | Apr 25, 2026 | Nepal vs UAE | Nepal won by 37 runs |
| 99 | Apr 27, 2026 | UAE vs Oman | UAE won by 25 runs |
| 100 | Apr 29, 2026 | Oman vs Nepal | Oman won by 102 runs |
| 101 | May 1, 2026 | Nepal vs UAE | Nepal won by 6 runs (DLS) |
| 102 | May 3, 2026 | UAE vs Oman | UAE won by 54 runs |
| 103 | May 5, 2026 | Nepal vs Oman | Nepal won by 81 runs |
| 104 | May 12, 2026 | Scotland vs Nepal | Scotland won by 2 runs (DLS) |
| 105 | May 14, 2026 | Scotland vs USA | Scotland won by 2 runs (DLS) |
| 106 | May 16, 2026 | USA vs Nepal | Nepal won by 9 wickets |
| 107 | May 18, 2026 | Scotland vs Nepal | Nepal won by 6 wickets |
| 108 | May 20, 2026 | Scotland vs USA | USA won by 6 wickets |
| 109 | May 22, 2026 | Nepal vs USA | Nepal won by 122 runs |
| 110 | Jun 6, 2026 | Canada vs USA | USA won by 8 wickets |
| 111 | Jun 8, 2026 | Netherlands vs USA | Netherlands won by 21 runs |
| 112 | Jun 10, 2026 | Netherlands vs Canada | Canada won by 2 wickets |
| 113 | Jun 12, 2026 | USA vs Canada | Upcoming |
| 114 | Jun 14, 2026 | USA vs Netherlands | Upcoming |
| 115 | Jun 16, 2026 | Netherlands vs Canada | Upcoming |
| 116 | Jul 21, 2026 | Nepal vs Namibia | Upcoming |
| 117 | Jul 23, 2026 | Netherlands vs Nepal | Upcoming |
| 118 | Jul 25, 2026 | Namibia vs Netherlands | Upcoming |
| 119 | Jul 27, 2026 | Namibia vs Nepal | Upcoming |
| 120 | Jul 29, 2026 | Nepal vs Netherlands | Upcoming |
| 121 | Jul 31, 2026 | Netherlands vs Namibia | Upcoming |
What do the Remaining Fixtures Mean?
The next confirmed series runs in Utrecht, Netherlands, from July 21–31, 2026, with Nepal, Namibia, and the Netherlands all involved.
For Nepal, it’s make-or-break. They sit seventh with 12 points and haven’t shown the consistency needed to push into the top four. The Utrecht series is one of their last genuine chances to string wins together and apply any pressure above them.
For the Netherlands, the priority is consolidating third. They’re comfortable enough right now, but they can’t afford to stumble — Canada and Oman aren’t out of reach.
Oman in fourth is an interesting story. They have 24 points from only 20 matches, meaning they have games in hand over most of the pack. If they continue winning those, they could yet put real pressure on the Netherlands for third.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023–27?
It’s a two-and-a-half-year ODI qualification tournament featuring eight associate nations. The top four teams at the end of the league phase advance to the 2027 CWC Qualifier, which determines the final places at the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
- Who is leading the ICC CWC League Two 2023–27 standings?
USA lead the table with 36 points from 24 matches and an NRR of +0.939. Scotland is second on 30 points, with the Netherlands third on 28 points and Oman fourth on 24 points.
- How many matches are in the ICC CWC League Two 2023–27?
The competition features 144 ODIs in total, played across 24 tri-series of 6 matches each.
- When does the ICC CWC League Two 2023–27 end?
The league phase runs through December 2026. The next confirmed series takes place in Utrecht, Netherlands, from July 21–31, 2026.
- Do all ICC CWC League Two matches count as official ODIs?
Yes. All 144 matches in the ICC CWC League Two 2023–27 carry full ODI status.
- Who won the previous ICC CWC League Two?
Scotland won the 2019–23 edition, finishing top of the standings ahead of Oman. They are the defending champions in this cycle.
Conclusion:
The ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023–27 still has months to run, and three of the four qualification spots are genuinely up for grabs.
USA look nailed on for a top-two finish. Scotland should be fine.
But everything from third downward is still being decided across the upcoming tri-series in Utrecht and whatever rounds follow through December 2026.
For the eight nations involved, this isn’t just a tournament.
The 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa is the destination, and this is the only road that gets them there.