T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier C 2026: Schedule and Times
Published on October 10, 2026
Summary Overview: Full schedule for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier C 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria: all 15 matches with times in local, IST and ET, and how teams qualify.
Six Teams, Two Spots: Uganda, Nigeria and Zambia Chase the Road to 2028 in Abuja
What is this tournament?
It is the last of three Africa sub-regional qualifiers on the road to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028 in Australia and New Zealand. The top two teams move on to the Africa Qualifier in 2027.
Who is playing?
Hosts Nigeria, plus Uganda, Zambia, Gambia, Lesotho and Mozambique.
When and where?
From Tuesday, October 20 to Sunday, October 25, 2026, on two grounds at the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) Oval in Abuja.
What time do matches start?
10:00 AM or 2:00 PM local time, which is 2:30 PM or 6:30 PM IST, and 5:00 AM or 9:00 AM ET.
The Story: Africa's Final Sub-Regional Battle
Africa's road to the 2028 T20 World Cup runs through three sub-regional qualifiers. Qualifier A was played in Botswana in May, and Qualifier B in Ghana in March, where Tanzania and Ghana booked their places in the next round. Now it is the turn of Qualifier C in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.
For readers new to the format: a T20 match gives each team a maximum of 20 overs to bat (an over is six legal deliveries), and a game lasts about three hours. All matches here are full T20 Internationals.
The two teams that come through will join the qualifiers from A and B, plus Namibia, at the Africa Qualifier in 2027. From there, two teams go straight to the T20 World Cup 2028.
Uganda are the best-known name in the group, having played at the T20 World Cup in 2024. Hosts Nigeria will be backed by home support in Abuja.
How It Works
- Single round-robin: each of the six teams plays the other five once, making 15 matches.
- Points table: teams are ranked on points, with net run rate (a measure of how quickly a team scores compared with its opponents) separating teams level on points.
- Qualification: the top two teams advance to the Africa Qualifier 2027.
The Six Teams
| Team | Matches |
| Nigeria (hosts) | 5 |
| Uganda | 5 |
| Zambia | 5 |
| Gambia | 5 |
| Lesotho | 5 |
| Mozambique | 5 |
Full Schedule (Local, IST and ET)
| Match | Date | Fixture | Venue | Local (WAT) | IST | ET |
| 1 | Tue, Oct 20 | Uganda vs Zambia | NCF Oval 1, Abuja | 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 5:00 AM |
| 2 | Tue, Oct 20 | Lesotho vs Mozambique | NCF Oval 1, Abuja | 2:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 9:00 AM |
| 3 | Tue, Oct 20 | Nigeria vs Gambia | NCF Oval 2, Abuja | 2:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 9:00 AM |
| 4 | Wed, Oct 21 | Mozambique vs Gambia | NCF Oval 1, Abuja | 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 5:00 AM |
| 5 | Wed, Oct 21 | Lesotho vs Uganda | NCF Oval 2, Abuja | 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 5:00 AM |
| 6 | Wed, Oct 21 | Zambia vs Nigeria | NCF Oval 1, Abuja | 2:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 9:00 AM |
| 7 | Fri, Oct 23 | Nigeria vs Mozambique | NCF Oval 1, Abuja | 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 5:00 AM |
| 8 | Fri, Oct 23 | Zambia vs Lesotho | NCF Oval 2, Abuja | 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 5:00 AM |
| 9 | Fri, Oct 23 | Gambia vs Uganda | NCF Oval 2, Abuja | 2:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 9:00 AM |
| 10 | Sat, Oct 24 | Uganda vs Mozambique | NCF Oval 2, Abuja | 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 5:00 AM |
| 11 | Sat, Oct 24 | Gambia vs Zambia | NCF Oval 1, Abuja | 2:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 9:00 AM |
| 12 | Sat, Oct 24 | Lesotho vs Nigeria | NCF Oval 2, Abuja | 2:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 9:00 AM |
| 13 | Sun, Oct 25 | Gambia vs Lesotho | NCF Oval 1, Abuja | 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 5:00 AM |
| 14 | Sun, Oct 25 | Mozambique vs Zambia | NCF Oval 2, Abuja | 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 5:00 AM |
| 15 | Sun, Oct 25 | Nigeria vs Uganda | NCF Oval 1, Abuja | 2:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 9:00 AM |
Local time is West Africa Time (WAT, UTC+1). IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30). ET is US Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4). Every match starts on the same calendar date in all three zones. There are no matches on Thursday, October 22.
📄 Download the full Qualifier C schedule as a PDF to save or share.
Each Team's Fixtures
| Team | Complete Fixture Breakdown (Local Time - WAT) | ||||||||
| Nigeria (hosts) | • Tue, Oct 20: vs Gambia (2:00 PM) | • Wed, Oct 21: vs Zambia (2:00 PM) | • Fri, Oct 23: vs Mozambique (10:00 AM) | • Sat, Oct 24: vs Lesotho (2:00 PM) | • Sun, Oct 25: vs Uganda (2:00 PM) | ||||
| Uganda | • Tue, Oct 20: vs Zambia (10:00 AM) | • Wed, Oct 21: vs Lesotho (10:00 AM) | • Fri, Oct 23: vs Gambia (2:00 PM) | • Sat, Oct 24: vs Mozambique (10:00 AM) | • Sun, Oct 25: vs Nigeria (2:00 PM) | ||||
| Zambia | • Tue, Oct 20: vs Uganda (10:00 AM) | • Wed, Oct 21: vs Nigeria (2:00 PM) | • Fri, Oct 23: vs Lesotho (10:00 AM) | • Sat, Oct 24: vs Gambia (2:00 PM) | • Sun, Oct 25: vs Mozambique (10:00 AM) | ||||
| Gambia | • Tue, Oct 20: vs Nigeria (2:00 PM) | • Wed, Oct 21: vs Mozambique (10:00 AM) | • Fri, Oct 23: vs Uganda (2:00 PM) | • Sat, Oct 24: vs Zambia (2:00 PM) | • Sun, Oct 25: vs Lesotho (10:00 AM) | ||||
| Lesotho | • Tue, Oct 20: vs Mozambique (2:00 PM) | • Wed, Oct 21: vs Uganda (10:00 AM) | • Fri, Oct 23: vs Zambia (10:00 AM) | • Sat, Oct 24: vs Nigeria (2:00 PM) | • Sun, Oct 25: vs Gambia (10:00 AM) | ||||
| Mozambique | • Tue, Oct 20: vs Lesotho (2:00 PM) | • Wed, Oct 21: vs Gambia (10:00 AM) | • Fri, Oct 23: vs Nigeria (10:00 AM) | • Sat, Oct 24: vs Uganda (10:00 AM) | • Sun, Oct 25: vs Zambia (10:00 AM) |
The tournament ends with Nigeria vs Uganda on Sunday, October 25 at 2:00 PM local, a host-against-favourite clash that could decide the group.
The Venues
| Ground / Venue | City | Total Matches Hosted |
| NCF Oval 1 | Abuja | 8 |
| NCF Oval 2 | Abuja | 7 |
Where to Follow
In previous editions, Africa sub-regional qualifiers have streamed on ICC.tv and on FanCode in India. Broadcast details for this event have not yet been confirmed.
Stat Corner
| Parameter | Metric / Detail |
| Total Teams | 6 |
| Total Matches | 15 |
| Match Days | 5 |
| Grounds / Venues | 2 (NCF Oval 1 & NCF Oval 2, Abuja) |
| Teams that Advance | 2 |
| Morning Starts (10:00 AM local - WAT) | 8 |
| Afternoon Starts (2:00 PM local - WAT) | 7 |
The Road to 2028 in Africa
| Stage / Tournament | Hosts / Date | Teams Qualified / Status | Advancement / Destination |
| Sub-Regional Qualifier A | Botswana (May 2026) | Top two teams | Advances to Regional Qualifier 2027 |
| Sub-Regional Qualifier B | Ghana (March 2026) | Tanzania, Ghana | Advanced to Regional Qualifier 2027 |
| Sub-Regional Qualifier C | Nigeria (October 2026) | Top two teams (out of Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Gambia, Lesotho, Mozambique) | Advances to Regional Qualifier 2027 |
| Direct Entry | — | Namibia | Direct entry into Regional Qualifier 2027 |
| Africa Qualifier 2027 | TBD (2027) | Top two teams from Regional Qualifier | Qualify for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which teams are in Africa Qualifier C?
Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Gambia, Lesotho and Mozambique.
How many teams qualify?
The top two move on to the Africa Qualifier in 2027, where two places at the T20 World Cup 2028 are on offer.
Where is the tournament being played?
On two grounds at the Nigeria Cricket Federation Oval in Abuja, Nigeria.
What time do the matches start in India?
Morning matches start at 2:30 PM IST and afternoon matches at 6:30 PM IST.
What time do the matches start in the US?
5:00 AM ET for morning matches and 9:00 AM ET for afternoon matches.
When is the last match?
Nigeria vs Uganda on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 2:00 PM local time.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Asia Sub-Regional Qualifier B 2026: Schedule, Venues and Match Times
📋 T20 Cricket Explained: Rules, Format and How It Works
📋 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Qualifier C 2026 Standings