The largest T20 tournament in cricket will be hosted by the subcontinent the next year with India and Sri Lanka preparing to host the 2026 ICC Men T20 World Cup in February-March 2026. It will involve 20 foreign teams and is one of the largest events in the history of the tournament.
Co-Hosts Confirmed
The month-long competition will be organized jointly by the Board of control of Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The two countries have started planning to have their list of venues complete where India is likely to house most of the matches and Sri Lanka used as a backup base.
Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai have been discussed as some of the Indian cities to be considered in hosting key matches with the proposed Sri Lankan hosts being Colombo (two sites) and Kandy.
Knockout Venues That are to be determined.
The semifinals and the final have not been yet confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) which clearly shows that the exact stadiums have not yet been confirmed. Nonetheless, organizational boards sources suggest that Ahmedabad stadium of Narendra Modi and Kolkata stadium of Eden Gardens is in the forefront of being the host of knockouts.
In case Pakistan makes it to the semifinals or the final, they will be hosted in Sri Lanka in cases of logistical reasons and security reasons. In case they get to that point, the whole knockout round can be hosted in India, with Ahmedabad as the leading contender to host the final.
Tournament Format
- T20 World Cup 2026 will take the same format as was launched in 2024.
- The number of teams is going to be divided into four groups of five.
- The two best individuals of each group will advance to the Super Eights.
- The four most successful will be taken to the semifinals followed by the final.
Canada, Netherlands, UAE, Nepal, Oman, and Namibia have been added to the list of all 13 Test-playing nations. Italy will be the first country to be represented in the tournament, which will bring a European touch to the tournament.
India to Defend the Title
The country is the defending champions in the competition, and its hosts India are the winners of T20 World Cup that took place in June 2024 and the hosts defeated South Africa in the final. As the second edition is played in pitches one is used to, India will be hoping to achieve similar success in front of the home crowd.
Schedule Coming Soon
The ICC has already indicated that the official match schedule and groupings will be announced in the near future, indicating which countries will play their group games in India and which play in Sri Lanka. Ticket information and hospitality-related packages will be pursued after the venues have been secured.
