The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalized eight venues for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will be jointly hosted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The ICC has confirmed five cities in India and two cities in Sri Lanka for the mega event. India’s Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kolkata have been shortlisted to host the matches of the upcoming showpiece event.
Eight spots decided for ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Across the border, Sri Lanka has three stadiums – P. Saravanamuttu International Cricket Stadium in Colombo and R. The Premadasa International Cricket Stadium and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy have been finalized for the T20 World Cup games.
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India’s two biggest stadiums – Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and Eden Gardens in Kolkata – have been shortlisted to host the semi-finals of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. However, the venue for the final has not been decided yet.
The organizers are keeping their options open, with a major factor being whether Pakistan reaches the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. If Pakistan fails to qualify then Ahmedabad can host the title match. The semi-final positions will also depend on which teams reach the last four.
If Sri Lanka or Pakistan reach the semi-finals then their match will be held in Colombo. If neither team finishes in the top four, both semi-finals will be held in India. The ICC is expected to release the schedule and groupings for the tournament in the coming days.
20 teams will fight for glory in ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Meanwhile, the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is going to be one of the biggest cricket events ever, with 20 teams competing in the month-long tournament. The format will be similar to previous editions of the tournament in the United States and the Caribbean nation.
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The teams will be divided into four groups, each consisting of five sides. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eight stage. In this round, the remaining eight teams will be divided into two groups of four each, and once again, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals will then compete for the prestigious title.
All 13 Test-playing nations have qualified for the tournament; They are joined by six other nations – Canada, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Oman and Namibia – who earned their spots through qualifying events. European team Italy will make its debut in the T20 World Cup.
ICC expands Women’s World Cup 2029 to 10 teams
On the other hand, the global body of cricket has taken a bold step to promote women’s cricket. They announced that the next edition of the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2029 will feature an increase from eight to ten teams, to give more countries a chance to shine on the big stage.
The decision was approved by the ICC during their meeting in Dubai following the recent success of the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup in India, which attracted record crowds and spectators.
