ICC Confirms Venues for 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalized the venues for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, confirming that the tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8 next year. The event will feature 20 teams and will be played across eight venues — five in India and three in Sri Lanka. In India, matches will take place in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai, while Colombo and Kandy have been shortlisted as two of Sri Lanka’s three venues. The final is scheduled to be held at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket venue. However, under an existing arrangement between the cricket boards of India and Pakistan, if Pakistan qualify for the final, it will be shifted to Sri Lanka, where all of Pakistan’s matches are expected to be played. The ICC is likely to announce the full tournament schedule next week, according to reports from PTI. Participating teams have been awaiting confirmation of their groupings and match fixtures, as well as details regarding ticket sales. The 2026 edition will follow the same format as the 2024 World Cup: 20 teams divided into four groups of five, with the top two from each group advancing to the Super Eight stage. The Super Eight will produce four semi-finalists, and the winners of the semis will contest the final. India, as defending champions, will host the competition alongside Sri Lanka. The two co-hosts are joined by Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the United States, and West Indies — all of whom earned automatic qualification based on their performance in the 2024 tournament. New Zealand, Pakistan, and Ireland qualified via rankings, while Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman, and the UAE advanced through regional qualifiers. India won the previous T20 World Cup in 2024, defeating South Africa in the final in Barbados, and will begin their title defense on home soil in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched global tournaments in recent years.