The 2019 ODI World Champions England have been facing a very tough time in the 50-over format over the past few years. While the English side's record in the other two formats has been decent, their performances in ODIs have lagged behind.
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England suffered yet another series loss, this time against South Africa at home, which shattered the 27-year-long winning streak against the Proteas in ODI series in England.
As their poor performances in the 50-over format continue, doubts have arisen regarding their qualification for the ICC Men's World Cup 2027.
Will England qualify for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027?
England's performances in the 50-over format have been well below average in the last few years. With the series loss to South Africa, the side has now slipped to eighth in the ICC ODI rankings and might have to miss out on an automatic qualification to the World Cup.
Since the 2023 World Cup, the 2019 Champions have won just seven out of their twenty-one ODIs. The side suffered a humiliating exit from the 2023 World Cup and the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
England's win percentage of 0.3 in ODIs in the past two years is the worst amongst all the other World Cup playing nations apart from Bangladesh, and no other side has lost more ODI matches than the English side.
Although the side won an ODI series against the West Indies earlier this year, their position in the world ranking has still not improved. They are at 8, four points below Afghanistan and 37 points below the top-ranked Indian side.
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How will teams qualify for the ODI World Cup 2027?
Unlike the last World Cup, the 2027 ODI World Cup will feature a total of 14 teams, which will be split into two groups of seven each. The top three teams from each group will qualify for the Super Six stages.
The tournament will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. While South Africa and Zimbabwe will get automatic qualification as hosts, Namibia will have to go through the qualifiers, since they are not a full-member nation.
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Apart from the two hosts, the top eight-ranked teams as of 31st March 2027 will qualify directly for the World Cup. England is currently placed at the 8th position; however, they still have 18 months to improve their ODI rankings.
England's ODI schedule till the ODI World Cup 2027
While England has 18 months to improve its fortunes, the road to that improvement will not be easy. The English side has some really tough challenges ahead of it, as the majority of its ODI fixtures are against the top-ranked sides.
| Dates | Tournament Details |
| September 2025 | South Africa Tour of England (3 ODIs) |
| October-November 2025 | England tour to New Zealand (3 ODIs) |
| January-February 2026 | England tour to Sri Lanka (3 ODIs) |
| July 2026 | England tour to India (3 ODIs) |
| September 2026 | Sri Lanka tour of England (3 ODIs) |
| November 2026 | England tour of Australia (3 ODIs) |
| January 2027 | England tour of South Africa (3 ODIs) |
Even if they slip down the ranking, England can still qualify for the World Cup, given the tournament's extended format. In that case, they would have to play the qualifiers, which one would expect them to qualify comfortably against associate nations.