NELSON, New Zealand (AP) — Rain washed out the fourth Twenty20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies on Monday, leaving the home team with a 2-1 series lead and one match remaining.
West Indies won the first match by seven runs, New Zealand won the second by three runs and the third on Sunday by nine runs.
New Zealand won the toss at Saxton Oval Monday and chose to field. Only 6.3 overs had been bowled when the rain set in with the West Indies at 38-1.
The last match of the series will be played at University Oval, Dunedin on Thursday.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
West Indies bowler Jayden Seales celebrates with teammate Shai Hope, right, after taking the wicket of New Zealand's Michael Bracewell during the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Mitchell Santner bats during the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — The 48-team field for FIFA ’s biggest ever World Cup is complete after a qualifying process that spanned more than two and a half years.
Iraq edged Bolivia 2-1 in an intercontinental playoff at Monterrey in northern Mexico on Tuesday to secure the 48th spot, hours after Bosnia and Herzegovina upset four-time champion Italy on penalties in European playoffs. The result meant Italy was knocked out in qualifying for a third successive World Cup.
Eight teams from Europe were competing for four places on the last day of qualifying. The new intercontinental tournament staged in Mexico determined the other two remaining places. The next-to-last nation to advance was Congo, which edged Jamaica 1-0 in extra time at Guadalajara, Mexico.
Sweden, Turkey and the Czech Republic each qualified in European playoff finals.
Sweden beat Poland 3-2; Turkey edged Kosovo 1-0; and the Czech Republic beat Denmark in a penalty shootout.
The World Cup kicks off June 11 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. It will feature 12 groups of four teams.
With its big upset victory of Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified to join Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B.
Sweden will play in Group F with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia. Turkey will be in Group D with the United States, Paraguay and Australia.
After reaching its first World Cup since 2006, the Czech team will play in Group A with Mexico, South Africa and South Korea.
The World Cup qualifiers for the 2026 tournament started Sept. 7, 2023 with matches in South America.
Group A
Mexico, Czech Republic, South Africa, South Korea
Group B
Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland
Group C
Brazil, Haiti, Morocco, Scotland
Group D
United States, Australia, Paraguay, Turkey
Group E
Curacao, Ecuador, German,y Ivory Coast
Group F
Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G
Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H
Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Uruguay
Group I
France, Norway, Senegal, Iraq
Group J
Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Jordan
Group K
Colombia, Congo, Portugal, Uzbekistan
Group L
Croatia, England, Ghana, Panama
This list has been corrected to show that Congo, not Jamaica, got the final spot in Group K.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
DR Congo's players and fans celebrate at the end of the World Cup playoff final soccer match between DR Congo and Jamaica in Guadalajara, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Bosnia's Esmir Bajraktarevic celebrates after winning a penalty shootout during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Bosnia's Esmir Bajraktarevic celebrates after winning a penalty shootout during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Iraq's Aymen Hussein, left, is congratulated after scoring his side's 2nd goal during the World Cup playoff final soccer match between Iraq and Bolivia in Monterrey, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Iraq's Aymen Hussein celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal during the World Cup playoff final soccer match between Iraq and Bolivia in Monterrey, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
