Tanzania to Make Historic Debut as ICC Announces Fixtures for 2026 Men’s U19 World Cup

The ICC has unveiled the official fixtures for the 16th edition of the Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to run from January 15 to February 6, 2026. The tournament will be jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia, bringing together 16 teams competing across five venues.

A major highlight of this edition is Tanzania’s debut on the global U19 stage. The competition will also see Japan participating for the second time, having last featured in 2020.

Group Line-up

The teams have been divided into four groups:

• Group A: India, Bangladesh, USA, New Zealand

• Group B: Zimbabwe, Pakistan, England, Scotland

• Group C: Australia (defending champions), Ireland, Japan, Sri Lanka

• Group D: Tanzania, West Indies, Afghanistan, South Africa

Tournament Format

Each team will play the other sides in its group during the opening round. The top three teams from each group will progress to the Super Six stage. From there, the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for February 3 and 4, taking place in Bulawayo and Harare. The final is set for February 6 at the Harare Sports Club.

Venues

Five grounds will host matches during the tournament:

• Harare Sports Club, Harare

• Takashinga Sports Club, Harare

• Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

• Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek (recently inaugurated)

• HP Oval, Windhoek

Teams are expected to arrive on January 8, followed by warm-up fixtures from January 9–14.

The previous edition in 2024 saw Australia defeating India in the final to clinch the title.