T20 WC 2028 East Asia Pacific Qualifier May 2026 Day-by-Day Fixtures

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2028 East Asia Pacific (EAP) Qualifier runs May 8 to 20, 2026, hosted in Japan. It is the EAP region's gateway into the global T20 WC pathway for the 2028 edition co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Below is the fan-friendly day-by-day fixture guide, the broadcast picture, and where each participating team sits going in.

Format primer

The EAP Qualifier is a single-group round-robin among the participating EAP associate members, played as full T20 internationals (T20I status). The top finisher progresses to the next stage of the global T20 WC 2028 pathway. The format is deliberately compact — the EAP region has a small contender pool, and the round-robin keeps the schedule clean for fans following from outside the region.

Participating teams

The qualifier features the EAP region's most active T20I sides. The headline names this cycle:

• Japan — host and the regional anchor; benefits from home conditions and the most match-time in this format.
• Indonesia — rapidly improving T20I side; has had recent results worth flagging in regional triangulars.
• Philippines — technically improved squad with diaspora-pathway players added.
• South Korea — building structural pathway around domestic and university cricket.
• Vanuatu — usually the most experienced T20I side at this level in the EAP region; pathway veterans.
• Samoa — perennial contender with strong batting ceilings.

Final entry list is per the ICC EAP Qualifier draw. Coverage focuses on the contenders most likely to make the top of the table.

Day-by-day fixtures

Below is the day-by-day schedule structure. All match dates are 2026 and all venues are in Japan. Times are local Japan time.

Day	Date	Match Window
1	Friday May 8	Tournament opener (host fixture) and second day-1 game
2	Saturday May 9	Two group fixtures
3	Sunday May 10	Two group fixtures
4	Monday May 11	Travel/rest day or single fixture per draw
5	Tuesday May 12	Two group fixtures
6	Wednesday May 13	Two group fixtures
7	Thursday May 14	Two group fixtures
8	Friday May 15	Travel/rest day per draw
9	Saturday May 16	Two group fixtures
10	Sunday May 17	Two group fixtures
11	Monday May 18	Two group fixtures
12	Tuesday May 19	Final round of group fixtures
13	Wednesday May 20	Decider window per standings; closing ceremony

Match-by-match opponents are confirmed against the ICC EAP draw. Fans should bookmark the ICC EAP Qualifier landing page and the Japan Cricket Association's scheduling feed for any in-tournament rest-day shifts driven by weather.

Broadcast and streaming

ICC qualifier coverage in 2025-26 has consistently expanded its digital footprint. Expected coverage for the EAP Qualifier:

• ICC.tv free streaming for selected fixtures, including the host games and the standings-deciding matches in the back half of the tournament.
• Japan Cricket Association YouTube for host-side fixtures with English-language commentary on the marquee games.
• Regional broadcast partners in Pakistan, India and the UK on a per-match basis for high-interest fixtures (final-round games where qualification is on the line).

Fans outside Japan should default to the ICC.tv schedule on tournament eve for the most reliable list. Confirmed times typically lock in 48 hours before each match-day.

Group standings primer

Standings will be table-driven by the standard ICC points framework: 2 points for a win, 1 for a tie/no-result, 0 for a loss, with NRR as the first tiebreaker. Given the compactness of the schedule, a 4-1 record is likely to be the qualifying line; in tighter groups, NRR will become decisive in the back half.

For the deeper pathway-and-format explainer, see our companion T20 WC 2028 EAP Qualifier format and standings explained piece. For the broader associate-pathway calendar context including the Cricket World Cup League 2 leg, see our ICC CWC L2 2026 final-leg fixtures and broadcast guide.

Why this qualifier matters

EAP cricket has been on a slow build for two decades. Japan's development of a competitive senior side, Indonesia's pathway investment, and the rising profile of the diaspora-pathway players from Philippines and South Korea have made the EAP Qualifier a far more contested event than it was even five years ago. The 2028 T20 WC's co-host status with Australia and New Zealand also gives the entire Asia-Pacific cricket region an extra incentive to produce a side that can be commercially and competitively credible at the global stage.

Bottom line

The EAP Qualifier is a 13-day window of compact, high-stakes T20 cricket in Japan. The top finisher carries the region into the next stage of the T20 WC 2028 pathway. Bookmark the ICC.tv feed, follow the day-by-day table, and watch for the NRR tiebreaker scenarios — in qualifiers like this one, that is where it is usually decided.

Related coverage: Hong Kong Womens T20I Tri-Series May 2026 Recap