T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule Announced: Narendra Modi Stadium to Host Final

The 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is expected to run from February 7 to March 8, according to a report by ESPNCricinfo. India and Sri Lanka will be joint hosts, with India playing the lead role.

This will be the 10th edition of the tournament and India will look to defend their crown after lifting the trophy in 2024 in Barbados.

The tournament will feature 20 teams and 55 matches. Games will be spread across seven venues, with five in India and two in Sri Lanka.

The final is likely to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, if Pakistan make it to the summit clash, the venue will shift to Colombo.

This arrangement comes from an agreement between the BCCI and PCB earlier this year. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, both boards reached a middle ground where Sri Lanka would act as co-host for Pakistan’s matches, while the BCCI remains the primary organiser.

As of now, 15 teams have booked their spots. These include India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh, New Zealand, USA, Ireland, Canada, Netherlands and Italy.

The remaining five places will be filled through regional qualifiers, with two coming from Africa and three from Asia and East Asia Pacific.

The format will remain the same as 2024, with 20 teams divided into four groups. The top sides will then move to the Super Eight stage before the knockouts.

For the BCCI, 2026 promises to be packed. The year will begin with the Women’s Premier League in January and February, running alongside India’s men’s series against New Zealand.

The T20 World Cup will follow in February, before the IPL takes over from March 15 to May 31.