ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule Unveiled: India and Sri Lanka Set to Host Global Spectacle
MUMBAI, INDIA – November 25, 2025 — The complete schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was officially unveiled today during a glittering ceremony in Mumbai. The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to span eight electrifying venues across the subcontinent from February 7 to March 8, 2026.
ICC Chairman Mr. Jay Shah presided over the schedule reveal event, sharing the stage with former T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma, who was also announced as the ICC Brand Ambassador for the 2026 edition. They were joined by India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav and India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Venues and Knockout Structure
The tournament will feature 55 matches hosted across eight venues. Five venues are located in India: the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, and the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Sri Lanka will utilize three venues: the R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground (SSC, Colombo), and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy).
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is earmarked to host the final on 8 March. The semifinals are scheduled for Kolkata and Mumbai.
Contingency Plans for Pakistan
The schedule includes unique contingency plans tied to the presence of Pakistan, whose matches will all be played in Sri Lanka. The R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will serve as an alternative venue for the final and one semifinal.
- If Pakistan qualifies for Semi-Final 1, Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium will replace Kolkata as the host.
- Should Pakistan reach the final, that venue will shift from Ahmedabad to Colombo.
- If co-hosts India and Pakistan meet in the semi-finals, that match will be staged in Colombo.
- If India reaches Semi-Final 2 and faces any team other than Pakistan, Mumbai will host that match.
Tournament Format and Groupings
The 2026 edition will follow the same successful format used in 2024. Twenty teams have been divided into four groups of five. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Eights stage, where teams are placed according to pre-determined seedings.
The four groups are:
- Group A: India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan.
- Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman.
- Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal.
- Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE.
All Group B matches, featuring co-hosts Sri Lanka, will take place exclusively across Sri Lankan venues.
Key Fixtures Highlight the Opening Stage
The tournament kicks off on February 7, 2026, with a spectacular opening day of cricket across the subcontinent.
Defending champions India will open their title defense with a marquee night fixture against the United States at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium at 7:00 PM.
Also on Day 1, former champions Pakistan will play the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, and the West Indies will feature against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
One of the most anticipated matches, the clash between India and Pakistan, is scheduled for February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Leaders Welcome the Return of Global Cricket
ICC Chairman Mr. Jay Shah expressed enthusiasm, noting that the passion for cricket in the subcontinent is unmatched and that fans have been eagerly waiting for another global spectacle. He stated that the T20 format continues to drive the sport’s global expansion, which will be showcased at the LA Olympics in 2028.
ICC CEO Mr. Sanjog Gupta emphasized that the event is expected to usher in a new era of global, marquee Cricketing events, highlighting the competition’s unpredictable nature demonstrated by six different champions in less than two decades.
Newly appointed Brand Ambassador Rohit Sharma welcomed the tournament back to India, sharing his fondness for past World Cup moments like Yuvraj’s six sixes in 2007 and Virat’s knock against Pakistan in 2022. He wished all the players the best, hoping they enjoy India’s hospitality. India (2007 and 2024) and England (2010 and 2022) are the only teams to have won the championship more than once. India and Sri Lanka are hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the second time, with Sri Lanka previously hosting in 2012 and India in 2016.