ICC confirms tentative dates for 2026 T20 World Cup

(Web Desk): The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is likely to take place from February 7 to March 8, according to cricket website Cricinfo.

Sri Lanka last hosted the T20 World Cup in 2012, while India was the sole host in 2016. The 2026 edition will feature 20 teams, with matches scheduled across five venues in India and two in Sri Lanka.

The final match is expected to be played either in Ahmedabad or Colombo. The final venue may be determined based on Pakistan’s qualification for the final, due to the ongoing diplomatic and travel constraints between the two countries.

It’s important to note that India declined to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy originally scheduled there this year. As a result, both countries have agreed to follow a hybrid model until 2028, under which they will play at neutral venues during ICC tournaments rather than travel to each other’s countries.

Although the ICC has yet to formally announce the schedule, ESPN Cricinfo reports that tentative dates have been communicated to the participating boards.

As of now, 15 teams have qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup: India (host), Sri Lanka (co-host), Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, USA, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, Netherlands, and Italy – qualifying for a World Cup for the first time ever.

The remaining 5 teams will qualify through regional tournaments — 2 from Africa Regional Qualifiers and 3 from Asia and East Asia-Pacific Qualifiers.

The format of the 2026 tournament will be similar to the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA. The 20 teams will be divided into 4 groups of 5. The top 2 teams from each group will advance to the Super 8s, which will then be divided into two groups of four. The top 2 teams from each Super 8 group will move on to the semi-finals.