Stay updated on the T20 World Cup 2026! Explore match schedules, team news, player stats, and expert analysis for the ultimate cricket experience.
🏏 T20 World Cup 2026: Schedule, Groups, and the Blockbuster Clash Confirmed!
The countdown to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has officially begun, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiling the complete fixtures, venues, and groups for the highly anticipated tournament. Co-hosted by defending champions India and Sri Lanka, the 10th edition of the tournament promises 29 days of exhilarating T20 World Cup 2026 cricket action from February 7 to March 8, 2026.
🗺️ Hosts and Venues Finalised
The T20 World Cup 2026 tournament will be spread across eight venues in the subcontinent, featuring five world-class stadiums in India and three in Sri Lanka.
- India’s Venues (5):
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad (Final venue)
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (Second Semi-final venue)
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata (First Semi-final venue)
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
- M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Sri Lanka’s Venues (3):
- R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, Colombo
- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Note: The T20 World Cup 2026 venues for the Semi-finals and Final have a contingency plan. If Pakistan reaches the final, the summit clash will be moved from Ahmedabad to Colombo. Similarly, one of the semi-finals will be played in Colombo if Pakistan is a qualifying team.
🇮🇳 vs 🇵🇰: The Marquee Clash Date Set
As always, the fixture everyone circles on the calendar is the clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.
- Match Date: February 15, 2026
- Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
The match will be hosted in Sri Lanka as part of a neutral venue agreement for all India vs. Pakistan matches in ICC events held in the subcontinent during the current cycle.
🏆 Tournament Format and Groups
The tournament retains the 20-team format introduced in the 2024 edition, split into four groups of five. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eights stage, followed by the Knockout matches.
| Group | Teams |
| Group A | India (A1), Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, Namibia |
| Group B | Australia, Sri Lanka (B1), Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman |
| Group C | England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, Italy |
| Group D | South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, UAE, Canada |
India and Sri Lanka are pre-seeded as A1 and B1 respectively, regardless of their group-stage performance, to facilitate ease of planning for the host nations.
🗓️ India’s Group Stage Fixtures
Defending champions India, now led by Suryakumar Yadav in the T20I format, will begin their title defense at home.
- February 7: vs. USA at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- February 12: vs. Namibia at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
- February 15: vs. Pakistan at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- February 18: vs. Netherlands at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
🌟 Other Key Updates
- Tournament Dates: February 7, 2026, to March 8, 2026.
- Qualified Teams: The field of 20 includes 12 direct qualifiers (Hosts and top teams from the 2024 edition/rankings) and 8 teams from regional qualifiers, including newcomers like Italy.
- Brand Ambassador: Former T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma has been announced as the ICC Brand Ambassador for the 2026 tournament.
The stage is set for a thrilling tournament, bringing world-class T20 action back to the cricket heartlands of India and Sri Lanka.
