India and Sri Lanka to Co-Host 2026 Men's T20 World Cup in February-March Window

India and Sri Lanka to Co-Host 2026 Men's T20 World Cup in February-March Window

India and Sri Lanka are set to co-host the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which is likely to be held between February 7 and March 8, 2026, with 20 teams participating in the month-long tournament. This will mark the second time each country has hosted the tournament, with Sri Lanka last hosting in 2012 and India in 2016.

According to information obtained by ESPNcricinfo, the ICC has finalised the tournament window and shared it with participating nations, although the full match schedule is yet to be officially released. Matches will take place across at least five venues in India and two in Sri Lanka, with the final to be held either in Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan qualifies. Due to ongoing political tensions, India and Pakistan are not scheduled to play in each other’s countries.

Format and Qualification

The 2026 edition will follow the same format as the 2024 tournament, which was jointly hosted by the West Indies and the USA. The 20 teams will be divided into four groups of five, with the top two teams from each group moving into the Super Eight stage, split again into two groups of four. The top two teams from each Super Eight group will then qualify for the semi-finals.

So far, 15 teams have secured qualification:

  • Full Members: India (hosts), Sri Lanka (hosts), Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies

  • Other Qualifiers: USA, Ireland, Canada, Netherlands, and Italy, who have qualified for a T20 World Cup for the first time.

The remaining five spots will be decided via regional qualifiers: two teams from the Africa region, and three from Asia and East Asia-Pacific.

Busy Cricket Calendar for India

India’s cricketing calendar for early 2026 is packed with marquee events. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is expected to kick off in early January, with the men’s T20 World Cup following in February. Shortly after, the IPL 2026 is slated to begin in a window from March 15 to May 31.

Additionally, India will host New Zealand for a white-ball series comprising ODIs and T20Is from January 11 to 31, 2026.

India will enter the 2026 T20 World Cup as defending champions, having won the 2024 edition by defeating South Africa in a thrilling final in Barbados.