The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be played from February 7 to March 8 across India and Sri Lanka. The tournament features 20 teams and 55 matches, starting with Pakistan vs Netherlands and building towards a high-pressure final.
T20 World Cup 2026 Tournament Overview
Co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the competition follows a multi-stage format with group matches, Super 8s, semifinals and the final. Defending champions India face strong competition in an expanded 20-team event designed to boost global participation.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the Super 8s, which are divided into two groups of four. From there, the top sides progress to the knockout stage.
Teams and Groups
Twenty teams are divided into four groups of five, combining established powerhouses with emerging nations.
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| A | India, Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, Namibia |
| B | Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman |
| C | England, West Indies, Scotland, Nepal, Italy |
| D | New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE |
Hosts India and Sri Lanka qualified automatically, while the remaining teams secured their spots through rankings and regional qualifiers.
Team Captains
| Team | Captain |
|---|---|
| India | Suryakumar Yadav |
| Pakistan | Salman Agha |
| Australia | To Be Confirmed |
| England | To Be Confirmed |
| New Zealand | To Be Confirmed |
| South Africa | To Be Confirmed |
| West Indies | To Be Confirmed |
| Sri Lanka | To Be Confirmed |
| Scotland | To Be Confirmed |
| Nepal | To Be Confirmed |
| Afghanistan | To Be Confirmed |
| Ireland | To Be Confirmed |
| Zimbabwe | To Be Confirmed |
| USA | To Be Confirmed |
| Netherlands | To Be Confirmed |
| Namibia | To Be Confirmed |
| Oman | To Be Confirmed |
| Italy | To Be Confirmed |
| Canada | To Be Confirmed |
| UAE | To Be Confirmed |
Venues
Eight stadiums across India and Sri Lanka will host matches, offering a mix of large-capacity venues and traditional cricket grounds.
| Country | City | Stadium | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Ahmedabad | Narendra Modi Stadium | 132,000 | Final candidate |
| India | Mumbai | Wankhede Stadium | 33,000 | Semifinals |
| India | Kolkata | Eden Gardens | 66,000 | Super 8s |
| India | Chennai | MA Chidambaram Stadium | 38,000 | Spin-friendly |
| India | Delhi | Arun Jaitley Stadium | 41,000 | Group stage |
| Sri Lanka | Colombo | R. Premadasa Stadium | 35,000 | India-Pakistan match |
| Sri Lanka | Kandy | Pallekele International | 35,000 | Super 8s |
| Sri Lanka | Colombo | Sinhalese Sports Club | 20,000 | Group openers |
India vs Pakistan group matches will be played in Sri Lanka to maintain venue neutrality.
Group Stage Schedule Highlights
The group stage runs from February 7 to February 20 with multiple matches each day. High-profile fixtures include India vs Pakistan on February 15 and England vs West Indies on February 11.
Super 8s and Knockout Stage
The Super 8s phase will be played from February 21 to March 1. The top teams advance to the semifinals scheduled for March 4 and March 5, followed by the final on March 8.
| Stage | Date | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semifinal 1 | Mar 4 | Kolkata / Colombo | 6:30 PM |
| Semifinal 2 | Mar 5 | Mumbai | 6:30 PM |
| Final | Mar 8 | Ahmedabad / Colombo | 6:30 PM |
Broadcast and Tickets
In India, matches will be broadcast on Star Sports with live streaming available on Disney+ Hotstar in multiple languages. Fans in Pakistan can watch via PTV and Tamasha.
Tickets will be sold through the official ICC website and BookMyShow, starting from affordable price points, with sales released in phases.
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