Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC), in coordination with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), has shortlisted eight venues for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, which will take place in February–March 2026.
According to Indian media reports, matches in India will be hosted across five major cities—Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata—while Sri Lanka will stage games at three venues, including two stadiums in Colombo and one in Kandy.
Semifinals and Final Venue Plans
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and Eden Gardens in Kolkata have emerged as the leading contenders to host the semifinal matches.
However, the ICC has kept the knockout-stage venues flexible depending on the teams that qualify.
If Pakistan or Sri Lanka reaches the semifinals, their matches will likely be staged in Colombo.
If neither team advances, both semifinals will be played in India.
The venue for the final is yet to be confirmed. Sources suggest that if Pakistan qualifies for the final, it will be held in Colombo; otherwise, Ahmedabad remains a strong candidate to host the title clash.
Tournament Format and Teams
As per the ICC’s earlier announcement on October 17, the 2026 edition will follow the same format as the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the USA and West Indies.
The event will feature 20 teams, divided into four groups of five.
Apart from the 13 full-member nations, teams from Canada, the Netherlands, UAE, Nepal, Oman, and Namibia have qualified.
Notably, Italy will make its debut appearance in a T20 World Cup.
Following the group stage, the top two teams from each group will move on to the Super Eights, which will consist of two groups of four. The top two sides from each Super Eight group will then progress to the semifinals.
India Aim to Defend Their Title
India, the defending champions, will enter the tournament on the back of their historic 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, where they defeated South Africa in the final.
The ICC is expected to release the full schedule and groupings soon, along with the final confirmation of venues for the semifinals and final.
