After the latest update to the ICC men's ODI team rankings, which sides could be at risk of dropping into the World Cup qualifiers?
What is the qualification process for the 2027 World Cup?
There will be 14 teams at the 2027 World Cup, and 10 of them will receive automatic qualification. The first two, South Africa and Zimbabwe have qualified as tournament hosts. Namibia are also co-hosting, but host qualification is a privilege reserved for ICC Full Member nations alone.
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The next eight highest-ranked teams in the world as of March 31, 2027 (excluding South Africa and Zimbabwe), will also receive automatic qualification. Zimbabwe are currently ranked outside the top eight in the world. As long as they remain there, teams from 10th onwards will not qualify automatically for the World Cup.
The team currently ranked No.10 in the world are Bangladesh, with a rating of 77. Just above them are West Indies with 80, and in No.8, England at 88.
Latest ICC men's ODI team rankings
Updated on August 30, 2025
| Rank | Team | Matches | Points | Rating |
| 1 | India | 36 | 4471 | 124 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 38 | 4160 | 109 |
| 3 | Australia | 35 | 3717 | 106 |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | 40 | 4122 | 103 |
| 5 | Pakistan | 35 | 3493 | 100 |
| 6 | South Africa | 32 | 3146 | 98 |
| 7 | Afghanistan | 25 | 2279 | 91 |
| 8 | England | 34 | 3003 | 88 |
| 9 | West Indies | 35 | 2814 | 80 |
| 10 | Bangladesh | 32 | 2465 | 77 |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 23 | 1247 | 54 |
| 12 | Ireland | 18 | 938 | 52 |
| 13 | Scotland | 31 | 1381 | 45 |
| 14 | USA | 34 | 1387 | 41 |
| 15 | Netherlands | 36 | 1425 | 40 |
| 16 | Oman | 25 | 886 | 35 |
| 17 | Nepal | 32 | 1060 | 33 |
| 18 | Namibia | 31 | 644 | 21 |
| 19 | Canada | 21 | 391 | 19 |
| 20 | UAE | 32 | 250 | 8 |
Are England in danger of missing the 2027 World Cup?
Out of the current bottom trio of England, West Indies and Bangladesh, England will be in action first in the ODI format, with three games at home against South Africa to sign off their home summer. The outcome of those three ODIs could shape the future for the 2019 Champions with respect to automatic qualification.
West Indies' next ODI engagement is in November against New Zealand, while Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan in October, after the Asia Cup.
The good news for England fans is that according to the ICC's rankings predictor, they even if they lose all three matches against South Africa, they won't drop below the West Indies' current ranking of 80.
Having lost the first ODI, the best possible result England can now hope for is a 2-1 series win. That would push their rating up to 91, level with Afghanistan's and, more importantly, give them an 11 points gap to West Indies below them. It would also reduce South Africa's rating slightly to 96.
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