India and Sri Lanka to Co-Host 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

A total of 20 teams will compete across 55 matches, culminating in the final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium—unless Pakistan reaches the title game, in which case it will move to Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium under a special agreement to handle bilateral sensitivities.

Matches will be played in five Indian venues and two Sri Lankan grounds, including Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Chennai’s M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, and Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, alongside Colombo and Galle in Sri Lanka. Pakistan’s fixtures have been pre-assigned exclusively to the Sri Lankan venues following ICC, BCCI, and PCB negotiations to mitigate diplomatic concerns.

The tournament format mirrors the 2024 edition: the 20 teams are split into four groups of five. Each side plays the others in its group once, with the top two advancing to the Super Eight stage. The Super Eight field is then divided into two groups of four, with the group winners progressing to the final.

Co-hosts India and Sri Lanka qualify automatically. They are joined by the seven teams that reached the Super Eight in 2024 Ireland, Netherlands, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, USA, and West Indies. Recent T20I rankings secure Pakistan, New Zealand, and Ireland berths, while regional qualifiers from Europe and the Americas bring in Italy and Canada. Italy will make its ICC Men’s World Cup debut in 2026. The final five spots will be decided via two Africa qualifiers and three Asia–East Asia Pacific qualifiers by October 2025.

As India aims to defend its title on home soil and Sri Lanka seeks redemption, the 2026 edition promises high-octane action and historic firsts, setting the stage for one of cricket’s most anticipated global events.