LONDON – The ICC officially unveiled the dates and venues for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup during a launch event held at Lord’s on May 1, setting the stage for the largest edition of the tournament to date.
Scheduled to run from June 12 to July 5, the 24-day tournament will feature 33 matches played across six venues in England: Edgbaston, The Hampshire Bowl, Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, and the Bristol County Ground. The final will take place at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Marking a new milestone in women’s cricket, the 2026 edition will include 12 teams—the highest number in the tournament’s history—making it the most competitive format yet. The eight teams already qualified are England (hosts), Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies. The remaining four spots will be decided through a global qualification tournament to be held in 2025.
The competition will follow a format of two groups of six teams, followed by knockout stages leading up to the final.
ICC Chair Jay Shah called the announcement of venues a “defining moment” in the lead-up to the tournament. “This event will unite the world’s best players in a celebration of talent, passion, and sportsmanship,” he said.
Shah also highlighted the significance of England as host, referencing the historic sold-out Women’s World Cup final at Lord’s in 2017 as a key moment in the growth of the women’s game. “There’s no better venue to host the final than Lord’s, a ground symbolic of cricket’s rich legacy and its future.”
The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup is expected to draw global attention not only as a premier international event, but also as a major step forward in the lead-up to cricket’s return to the Olympic stage at Los Angeles 2028.
