New Delhi : The Men’s T20 World Cup is likely to be held from February 7 to March 8, 2026. This prestigious tournament will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka and will feature 20 teams. The matches will be played at a minimum of five venues in India and two in Sri Lanka. The final is expected to be held in Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan reaches the final, as the two countries do not play each other in their home grounds due to ongoing political tensions.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is still finalizing the tournament schedule, but according to sources, the timeline has been set and all participating countries have been informed. The tournament format will be similar to the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and USA. The 20 teams will be divided into four groups of five teams each. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Eight stage, where the eight teams will be divided into two groups. The top two teams from each of these groups will advance to the semifinals. India is the current champion, having won the title by defeating South Africa in Barbados in 2024. A total of 55 matches will be played in the tournament.
So far, 15 teams have qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup: India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, USA, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, Netherlands, and Italy. This will be Italy’s first-ever World Cup appearance. The remaining five teams will be two from the Africa regional qualifier and three from the Asia and East Asia-Pacific qualifiers.
India is set to host several major events in early 2026, including the Women’s Premier League (WPL), which is likely to start in January or early February. This will be followed by the T20 World Cup, and then the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is likely to be held between March 15 and May 31. Additionally, India will also host a series of ODI and T20 international matches against New Zealand from January 11 to 31.
