The 10th edition of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is expected to take place from February 6 to March 8, 2026. The tournament will continue with its 20-team format to promote global representation with teams from every cricket-playing continent.
The competition will be held across multiple venues in both India and Sri Lanka, with the Narendra Modi Stadium likely to host the final on March 8.
A total of 20 teams will take part, including full ICC members and successful associate nations. The 2026 edition is important because it brings major ICC events back to South Asia and marks a step toward cricket’s expected return to the Olympics in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
India will enter the tournament as defending champions after winning the 2024 title.
Teams Qualified For The ICC T20 World Cup 2026
All 20 teams have qualified for the World Cup, where Italy made history by qualifying for the first time.
| Qualification Method | Team Name |
|---|---|
| Host nation | India, Sri Lanka |
| 2024 T20 World Cup performance | Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, United States, West Indies |
| ICC T20I ranking | Pakistan, New Zealand, Ireland |
| Americas Regional Qualifier | Canada |
| Europe Qualifier | Netherlands, Italy |
| Africa Regional Qualifier | Namibia, Zimbabwe |
| Asia–EAP Qualifier | Nepal, Oman, United Arab Emirates |
Format Of The ICC T20 World Cup 2026
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 will follow the same format as the 2024 edition, with 20 teams divided into four groups of five. In the initial group stage, each team will play against every other team in its group in a round-robin format. After all group matches are completed, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Eights, the next phase of the competition.
In the Super Eights phase, the eight qualifying teams will be split into two groups of four teams. Similar to the group stage, these teams will compete in a round-robin format, playing against each other within their respective Super Eights groups. The performance in this stage will determine which teams advance, as the top two teams from each Super Eights group move on to the knockout semi-finals.
The knockout phase consists of semi-finals, in which the best teams from the Super Eights face off, and the winners progress to the final. The final match determines the champion of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Groups
ICC made the official announcement of the schedule of the tournament on November 25. The 20 teams have been divided into four groups containing five matches each.
- Group A includes host India, Pakistan, the USA, Namibia, and the Netherlands.
- Group B feature Australia, Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe.
- Group C consist of England, the West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the first-time participant, Italy.
- Group D could feature New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, the UAE, and Canada.
Venues Of The ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Since India and Sri Lanka are co-hosting this T20 World Cup, the ICC has announced 8 venues. It includes 5 from India and 3 from Sri Lanka.
| Country | City | Stadium Name |
|---|---|---|
| India | Ahmedabad | Narendra Modi Stadium |
| Delhi | Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium | |
| Kolkata | Eden Garden | |
| Chennai | M.A. Chidambaram Stadium | |
| Mumbai | Wankhede Stadium | |
| Sri Lanka | Kandy | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| Colombo | R. Premadasa Stadium | |
| Colombo | Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground |
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