ICC Women\u2019s T20 World Cup 2026 will get underway at Edgbaston Stadium on Friday 12 June, with hosts England women\u2019s cricket team facing Sri Lanka women\u2019s cricket team in the tournament curtain-raiser.<\/p>\n
Edgbaston will play a central role in the early stages of the competition, hosting three matchdays including a double header on Sunday 14 June featuring Bangladesh v Netherlands, followed by India v Pakistan. Pakistan will return to the venue later in the group stage to face South Africa.<\/p>\n
The confirmation of the full schedule follows the conclusion of the qualifying tournament in Nepal, which finalised the 12-team line-up.<\/p>\n
Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland secured qualification, highlighting the growing depth and competitiveness of the global women\u2019s game. European nations now account for one-third of the competing teams, marking a milestone for the sport\u2019s development in the region.<\/p>\n
The group stages will feature several commercially and culturally significant fixtures, including England v Scotland at Headingley on 20 June – the first time the two nations have met at a Cricket World Cup on English soil.<\/p>\n
Ireland and Scotland will also meet in an all-Celtic clash at Old Trafford, while major match-ups involving Australia, India, Pakistan and New Zealand are scheduled across leading venues including Lord\u2019s, The Oval, Headingley and the Hampshire Bowl.<\/p>\n
The tournament will run from 12 June to 5 July, with semi-finals and the final hosted at The Oval and Lord\u2019s respectively, reinforcing England and Wales\u2019 position as a global stage for elite international sport.<\/p>\n
Sanjog Gupta International Cricket Council CEO said: \u201cThe release of the schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is an important milestone in the run-up to the global, premier sporting event. This event is in continuation of the ICC’s sustained investment in women’s cricket – across expanded participation and high-performance pathways, event and production standards, tournament prize money, widened media distribution and commercial partnerships – towards the goal of commanding higher levels of attention, affiliation and stature with fans worldwide.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India served as a force multiplier for the sport – breaking records, capturing imaginations and inspiring communities – and our ambition is to carry the momentum into the event in June-July. The tournament also follows closely on the heels of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, reinforcing the ICC’s commitment to creating year-round global moments for the world’s second most popular sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cVenues across England and Wales will serve as a wonderful stage for high-quality competitive cricket, unforgettable memories and unifying cultural experiences that define global events. We are confident that the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be the next defining chapter in the accelerated growth of women’s cricket worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beth Barrett-Wild, Tournament Director for the ICC Women\u2019s T20 World Cup 2026 said: \u201cHuge congratulations to Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands for earning their World Cup spots through a hard-fought and competitive qualifying event. We\u2019re delighted to now confirm our full schedule and set the stage for a tournament that will not only showcase the very best of the women\u2019s game but also ignite some home nation rivalry when England take on Scotland at Headingley on 20 June.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis Women\u2019s T20 World Cup will bring world-class athletes, elite performances and unforgettable moments to fans across England and Wales. With high-quality cricket at its core, the tournament promises to be an unmissable sporting spectacle that captures hearts and minds, and takes women\u2019s cricket firmly into the mainstream.\u201d<\/p>\n
Groups<\/strong><\/p>\n Group 1: Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Netherlands<\/p>\n Group 2: West Indies, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland<\/p>\n With matches staged across major cities and iconic venues, the ICC Women\u2019s T20 World Cup 2026 is expected to deliver significant benefits for host regions, broadcasters, sponsors and partners, while continuing the rapid commercial and cultural growth of women\u2019s cricket globally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Edgbaston will host the opening match as the ICC confirms the full schedule for a month-long Women\u2019s T20 World Cup across England and Wales<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":266702,"featured_media":2107156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[120904],"coauthors":[127717],"class_list":["post-2108649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport","tag-featured-story","tag-greater-birmingham"],"yoast_head":"\n