Co-hosts India will open their title defence at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a marquee night clash against the United States on 7 February at the Wankhede Stadium, a high-profile curtain-raiser befitting the world champions.
Former winners Pakistan and West Indies will also be in action on day one, playing at Colombo’s historic Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) and Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, respectively.
The full schedule was unveiled at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai featuring ICC Chairman Jay Shah, India’s World Cup–winning captain Rohit Sharma, current T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, and India Women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Final in Ahmedabad; Colombo Named Backup
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the sport’s largest arena, will host the final on 8 March. The semifinals will be split between Mumbai and Kolkata, though Colombo acts as an alternate venue in case Pakistan qualify for the knockouts. Should Pakistan reach the semifinals or final, those matches will shift to R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Eight Venues, Two Host Nations: The tournament spans eight venues across India and Sri Lanka:
India: Ahmedabad, Chennai, New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata
Sri Lanka: R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), SSC Ground (Colombo), Pallekele (Kandy)
Tournament Format Mirrors 2024 Success: The 2026 edition follows the structure used in 2024: 20 teams, 4 groups of 5
Top 2 teams from each group advance to the Super Eight
Teams progress according to pre-assigned seedings
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, and all Pakistan matches, will be held exclusively in Sri Lanka.
Jay Shah: “The subcontinent’s passion is unmatched”
ICC Chairman Jay Shah welcomed the return of a global event to the region: “The passion for cricket in this region is unmatched… I have no doubt the venues in India and Sri Lanka will be alive with energy throughout the tournament.”
The T20 format continues to drive the sport’s global expansion and will be showcased at the LA Olympics in 2028. One can already picture the electric atmosphere at the Narendra Modi Stadium when the champions lift the trophy on 8 March.
Sanjog Gupta: “A new era of marquee global events”
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta emphasised the competition’s unpredictability and reach: “We have seen six different champions in less than two decades… With 20 teams from 5 continents vying for the title, this promises to be a feast for cricket fans around the world.”
He added that the ICC is committed to delivering immersive fan experiences that “widen and deepen” cricket fandom.
Rohit Sharma: “Every match is big”
World Cup, winning captain Rohit Sharma, now the ICC’s Brand Ambassador for the 2026 edition, reflected on the memories the tournament evokes: “I have the good fortune of winning this tournament two times… each win is special.”
Surya’s brilliant catch in Barbados, Virat’s knock against Pakistan in Melbourne, Yuvraj’s six sixes in Durban, these are some of the most exhilarating moments ever.
Rohit said he was honoured to be involved in a new role: “It is great to have the tournament back in India and for me to be associated once again… I hope the players enjoy India’s hospitality while taking back a lot of memories.”
Historic Hosts and Champions
This is the second time India and Sri Lanka are jointly hosting the tournament. Sri Lanka hosted in 2012, India hosted in 2016
Past winners include: India (2007, 2024), England (2010, 2022), Pakistan (2009), Sri Lanka (2014), Australia (2021), West Indies (2012, 2016).
