At a special ceremony in Mumbai on Tuesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed the whole itinerary for the 2026 T20 World Cup, confirming that India and Sri Lanka will co-host the competition from February 7 to March 8.
Twenty teams have been divided into four groups of five before moving on to the Super Eight stage and the knockout stages in a total of 55 games spread across eight locations over the course of a month.
Defending champions India have been assigned to Group A where they will resume their intense rivalry with Pakistan, along with the United States, the Netherlands, and Namibia. India’s group-stage run has been meticulously planned among three Indian cities and Colombo, with a mix of high-pressure matches and well-known opponents.
According to the official schedule, India’s campaign will start on February 7 in Mumbai against the United States, then on February 12 in New Delhi against Namibia.
However, all eyes will be on the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match on February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. This match is anticipated to garner international interest and may be crucial in determining the Super Eight outcome. On February 18 in Ahmedabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium, India will play the Netherlands to conclude their group stage campaign.
The choice to hold three group-stage matches every day, with schedules set for 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m., was one of the main talking points from the unveiling.
Along with India Women’s World Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Kaur and current men’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, former India T20I captain Rohit Sharma, who guided the team to their 2024 title victory, attended the announcement ceremony. ICC Chairman Jay Shah also announced Rohit Sharma’s appointment as the T20 World Cup 2026 brand ambassador during the ceremony.
After winning their second T20 World Cup title in 2024 with a thrilling seven-run victory against South Africa in the final in Barbados, India enters the competition as the defending champions. That victory strengthened their standing as one of the leading teams in the shortest format and added to their historic first triumph in 2007.
T20 World Cup 2026: Format and groups
The top two teams from each of the four groups of five that were created from the 20 teams will advance to the Super Eight stage.
Group A: India, Pakistan, United States, Netherlands, Namibia
Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman
Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, Italy
Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, United Arab Emirates
The tournament schedule states that if India advances, its Super Eight matches will take place in Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Kolkata. India will play in Mumbai if they qualify for the semi-finals. Depending on whether Pakistan or Sri Lanka advance to the final four, either Kolkata or Colombo will host the second semifinal. Ahmedabad will host the final; if Pakistan advances to the championship match, Colombo will serve as the alternate venue.
As one of the most anticipated T20 World Cup editions draws near, teams will turn their attention to squad selection, workload management, and tactical preparation as the fixture list is finalized. The India vs Pakistan match is expected to be the main event of the group stage.
