New Delhi, September 9: Cricket’s biggest T20 carnival will return in February 2026, with India and Sri Lanka set to co-host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The tournament will kick off on February 7 and the final will be played on March 8, a report in ESPNCricinfo said.
As per the report, matches will be spread across five venues in India and two in Sri Lanka. The title clash could take place either at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, or in Colombo—the venue depends on whether Pakistan makes it to the final.
Because of political tensions, arch-rivals India and Pakistan don’t play in each other’s countries. The same rule is being followed for the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup, which will also be jointly staged by India and Sri Lanka later this month.
The format of the showpiece tournament will be identical to the 2024 edition in the West Indies and USA. Twenty teams will be split into four groups of five, with the top two from each moving into the Super 8s. The best four will then qualify for the semifinals.
India will defend their crown, having beaten South Africa in the 2024 final at Barbados. The last edition featured 55 matches, and the count is expected to be similar in 2026.
So far, 15 teams have booked their places: India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, USA, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, Netherlands and Italy—who will be playing their first-ever World Cup.
The remaining five slots will be decided through regional qualifiers, with two from Africa and three from Asia and East Asia Pacific.
