The United Arab Emirates will host the ICC World Twenty20 2010 Qualifier later this year. The event, which is currently scheduled to take place in late October, will also be expanded from its previous staging, in Ireland in 2008.

In addition to featuring the six Associate and Affiliate teams with ODI status - Ireland, Canada, Kenya, the Netherlands, Afghanistan and Scotland - it will also include the host team and the United States of America (USA).

The top two sides from the tournament will go forward to join the 10 ICC Full Members in next year's main event, set to take place in the West Indies in April and May at three locations - Barbados, Guyana and St Lucia.

These decisions were made by the ICC Development Committee, which has been meeting this week in Dubai.

"I am thrilled that the ICC Development Committee has again taken an expansive and innovative approach to promoting our great sport by inviting the UAE and USA to join the top six Associate and Affiliate teams at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier later this year," said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat. "The committee has given the chance for the top six Associate and Affiliate teams to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20, something they had the chance to do in the equivalent event in Ireland last year, while, at the same time, creating two additional invitational slots for this event."

The ICC Development Committee also decided on the following locations for other upcoming events:

• The ICC World Cricket League Division 5 (due to take place in January 2010) will be held in Nepal.
• The ICC World Cricket League Division 4 (due to take place in June 2010) will be held in Italy.
• Canada will host the ICC Under-19 CWC Global Qualifier in September 2009, which will see 10 Associate and Affiliate teams (two from each of the ICC's five regions) battle for five places in the ICC U-19 CWC 2010.