The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the host cities for the upcoming 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The tournament is scheduled to kick off on February 7, 2026, with the final slated for March 8 in Ahmedabad.
In India, this T20 World Cup will unfold across five major metropolitan hubs: Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai. Sri Lanka, co-hosting the event, has shortlisted Colombo and Kandy as its two venues.
Fans eagerly awaiting the full schedule won’t have to wait long, as the ICC is reportedly expected to release the detailed match fixtures next week. This announcement will come just three months before the global spectacle begins, though details regarding ticket sales are still pending.
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In a significant logistical arrangement, Pakistan will play all of their group-stage matches in Sri Lanka. This decision is part of an agreement between the BCCI and PCB. Furthermore, should Pakistan advance to the final, the championship match would also be contested at a neutral venue in Sri Lanka.
The 2026 T20 World Cup will retain the 20-team format from the previous edition. Teams will be split into four groups of five, with the top two from each group moving to the Super Eight stage. From there, the top two teams from two Super Eight groups will advance to the semi-finals.
Hosts India and Sri Lanka have secured automatic qualification. They are joined by the top seven teams from the 2024 tournament: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the United States, and West Indies. New Zealand, Pakistan, and Ireland qualified via T20I rankings.
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The remaining spots were filled through regional qualifiers, introducing Italy for their first-ever T20 World Cup appearance alongside the Netherlands (Europe). Canada (Americas), Namibia and Zimbabwe (Africa), and Nepal, Oman, and UAE (Asia-EAP) complete the 20-team lineup.
India will enter the tournament as the defending champions, having famously defeated South Africa in the 2024 final in Barbados.