The much-awaited schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is finally out. Defending champions, India, will share the hosting duties with Sri Lanka, with the tournament scheduled in February and March 2026.
So, when and where does the T20 World Cup 2026 start?
The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup will begin on February 7, 2026. There will be a triple header on the opening day.
Pakistan will kickstart the tournament by squaring off against the Netherlands in Colombo at 11:00 AM IST.
West Indies and Bangladesh will lock horns in the second game in Kolkata at 3:00 PM.
India will also begin their title defence on the same day, with their first clash set against the USA in Mumbai at 7:00 PM.
How many teams have qualified for the T20 World Cup 2026?
A total of 20 teams have made the cut. Hosts India and Sri Lanka were automatic lock-ins, while the other teams made it through different qualification methods.
Here are the qualified teams for the T20 World Cup 2026:
- India
- Sri Lanka
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- England
- South Africa
- United States of America
- West Indies
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Ireland
- Canada
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Namibia
- Zimbabwe
- Nepal
- Oman
- United Arab Emirates
Are teams split into groups?
Yep. The teams have been clubbed into four groups of five sides each.
Here are the groups for the T20 World Cup 2026:
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | Australia | Bangladesh | Afghanistan |
| Pakistan | Ireland | England | Canada |
| Namibia | Oman | Italy | New Zealand |
| Netherlands | Sri Lanka | Nepal | South Africa |
| USA | Zimbabwe | West Indies | UAE |
Know All About T20WC 2026 Here
Explained: 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup Qualification Pathway
Okay, what is the format of the T20 World Cup 2026?
So, teams will first compete in the group stage. They will take on their group opponents once, playing four matches each.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eight stage. The eight teams will again be divided into two groups of four each.
Teams will play three matches in the Super Eights, facing their group opponents once. The top two teams from the Super Eights will then qualify for the semi-finals. The two semi-final winners will, obviously, compete for the title in the final.
Alright, which venues will host the T20 World Cup 2026?
A total of eight stadiums across India and Sri Lanka will host the matches.
Here are the venues for the T20 World Cup 2026:
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
- R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
Ongoing & Upcoming Series Schedule:
India’s Domestic Cricket Schedule 2025-26
Indian Men’s Cricket Team Schedule for 2025 Home Season
India vs South Africa 2025 Series Schedule
Australia Schedule for 2025-26 Home Season
Ashes 2025-26 Complete Schedule
Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2025: Schedule
New Zealand vs West Indies Series 2025: Schedule
New Zealand Schedule for 2025-26 Home Season
World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 Full Schedule
Nepal Premier League 2025 Schedule
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025: Schedule
International League T20 (ILT20) 2025-26: Schedule
Big Bash League 2025-26: Schedule
ACC Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup 2025: Schedule
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Schedule
Okay, now tell me the complete schedule for the T20 World Cup 2026…
The T20 World Cup 2026 runs from February 7 to March 8. As many as 40 matches will take place in the group stage, which ends on February 20
The Super Eight round will commence on February 21. There will be 12 matches in the Super Eights.
The semi-finals will take place on March 4 and 5, with the final slated for March 8.
The first semi-final will either take place in Colombo or Kolkata, depending on whether Sri Lanka and Pakistan qualify. Mumbai, meanwhile, will stage the second semi-final.
The venue for the final will be either Ahmedabad or Colombo, based on Pakistan’s qualification.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Complete Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb | Pakistan vs Netherlands | Colombo | 11:00 AM |
| 7 Feb | West Indies vs Bangladesh | Kolkata | 3:00 PM |
| 7 Feb | India vs USA | Mumbai | 7:00 PM |
| 8 Feb | New Zealand vs Afghanistan | Chennai | 11:00 AM |
| 8 Feb | England vs Nepal | Mumbai | 3:00 PM |
| 8 Feb | Sri Lanka vs Ireland | Colombo | 7:00 PM |
| 9 Feb | Bangladesh vs Italy | Kolkata | 11:00 AM |
| 9 Feb | Zimbabwe vs Oman | Colombo | 3:00 PM |
| 9 Feb | South Africa vs Canada | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM |
| 10 Feb | Netherlands vs Namibia | Delhi | 11:00 AM |
| 10 Feb | New Zealand vs UAE | Chennai | 3:00 PM |
| 10 Feb | Pakistan vs USA | Colombo | 7:00 PM |
| 11 Feb | South Africa vs Afghanistan | Ahmedabad | 11:00 AM |
| 11 Feb | Australia vs Ireland | Colombo | 3:00 PM |
| 11 Feb | England vs West Indies | Mumbai | 7:00 PM |
| 12 Feb | Sri Lanka vs Oman | Kandy | 11:00 AM |
| 12 Feb | Nepal vs Italy | Mumbai | 3:00 PM |
| 12 Feb | India vs Namibia | Delhi | 7:00 PM |
| 13 Feb | Australia vs Zimbabwe | Colombo | 11:00 AM |
| 13 Feb | Canada vs UAE | Delhi | 3:00 PM |
| 13 Feb | USA vs Netherlands | Chennai | 7:00 PM |
| 14 Feb | Ireland vs Oman | Colombo | 11:00 AM |
| 14 Feb | England vs Bangladesh | Kolkata | 3:00 PM |
| 14 Feb | New Zealand vs South Africa | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM |
| 15 Feb | West Indies vs Nepal | Mumbai | 11:00 AM |
| 15 Feb | USA vs Namibia | Chennai | 3:00 PM |
| 15 Feb | India vs Pakistan | Colombo | 7:00 PM |
| 16 Feb | Afghanistan vs UAE | Delhi | 11:00 AM |
| 16 Feb | England vs Italy | Kolkata | 3:00 PM |
| 16 Feb | Sri Lanka vs Australia | Kandy | 7:00 PM |
| 17 Feb | New Zealand vs Canada | Chennai | 11:00 AM |
| 17 Feb | Ireland vs Zimbabwe | Kandy | 3:00 PM |
| 17 Feb | Bangladesh vs Nepal | Mumbai | 7:00 PM |
| 18 Feb | South Africa vs UAE | Delhi | 11:00 AM |
| 18 Feb | Pakistan vs Namibia | Colombo | 3:00 PM |
| 18 Feb | India vs Netherlands | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM |
| 19 Feb | West Indies vs Italy | Kolkata | 11:00 AM |
| 19 Feb | Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe | Colombo | 3:00 PM |
| 19 Feb | Afghanistan vs Canada | Chennai | 7:00 PM |
| 20 Feb | Australia vs Oman | Kandy | 7:00 PM |
| 21 Feb | Super 8 – Y2 vs Y3 | Colombo | 7:00 PM |
| 22 Feb | Super 8 – Y1 vs Y4 | Kandy | 3:00 PM |
| 22 Feb | Super 8 – X1 vs X4 | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM |
| 23 Feb | Super 8 – X2 vs X3 | Mumbai | 7:00 PM |
| 24 Feb | Super 8 – Y1 vs Y3 | Kandy | 7:00 PM |
| 25 Feb | Super 8 – Y2 vs Y4 | Colombo | 7:00 PM |
| 26 Feb | Super 8 – X3 vs X4 | Ahmedabad | 3:00 PM |
| 26 Feb | Super 8 – X1 vs X2 | Chennai | 7:00 PM |
| 27 Feb | Super 8 – Y1 vs Y2 | Colombo | 7:00 PM |
| 28 Feb | Super 8 – Y3 vs Y4 | Kandy | 7:00 PM |
| 1 Mar | Super 8 – X2 vs X4 | Delhi | 3:00 PM |
| 1 Mar | Super 8 – X1 vs X3 | Kolkata | 7:00 PM |
| 4 Mar | 1st Semi-Final | Kolkata/Colombo | 7:00 PM |
| 5 Mar | 2nd Semi-Final | Mumbai | 7:00 PM |
| 8 Mar | Final | Ahmedabad/Colombo | 7:00 PM |
Where to watch the T20 World Cup 2026?
The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup 2026 will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network’s TV channels. Additionally, JioHotstar will live-stream the tournament on its app and website.
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