The European countdown to the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2028 begins this week as eight emerging European nations gather in Guernsey for the ICC U19 Men's World Cup Europe Division 2 Qualifier. The tournament begins from 24 to 30 July.

Hosted across four venues namely Port Soif, College Field, King George V Playing Fields and Memorial Fields, the week-long 50 over tournament offers Europe's young talents an opportunity to take a big step towards cricket's biggest age group event.

The competition features Belgium, France, Germany, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland, divided into two groups of four. Group A consists of hosts Guernsey alongside Belgium, Germany and France, while Group B sees Sweden, Isle of Man, Italy and Switzerland battle for the remaining semi-final spots.

After the group stage, the top two teams from each pool will progress to the semi-finals, with the finalists earning promotion to the Europe Division 1 Qualifier, where they will join Scotland, Jersey, Denmark and the Netherlands in the next phase of the qualification pathway.

Italy enter the tournament as one of the sides to watch, having continued to strengthen their youth cricket structure in recent years. The hosts, Guernsey, will also look to capitalise on home conditions as they aim to make a successful start in front of local supporters.

“In addition to the results, the tournament is a major milestone in the ongoing growth of cricket in Europe. Countries such as Germany, Belgium, France and Switzerland have always invested in developing young players and tournaments like this offer aspiring cricketers invaluable international experience at a vital stage of their careers.

Many of today's leading Associate internationals first made their mark in ICC age group pathway events, and this year's Division 2 Qualifier is expected to showcase the next generation of European talent eager to follow a similar path.

The stage is set for an exciting week of competitive cricket with qualification, development and national pride all on the line as Europe’s rising stars embark on their journey towards the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.