ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Groups, full schedule, format & all you need to know

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is back with its 10th edition. The marquee tournament is set to feature 12 teams that will rub shoulders with one another for nearly a month to win the coveted title. England are the host and one of the top contenders for the championship.

Teams

For the first time in the 17-year-long history of the tournament, 12 teams are set to compete with one another for the silverware. New Zealand, India, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa qualified for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 based on their performance in the previous edition, which was held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2024.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan made it to the tournament by virtue of their T20I rankings, whereas England, other than their world ranking, also earned direct qualification because of being the hosts. The remaining four spots were decided at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier, which was organised between 18 January and 1 February in Nepal.

Bangladesh remained unbeaten right through the qualifiers, booking their berth at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with sheer dominance. Netherlands, Scotland and Ireland were the three other teams to ace the qualifiers and earn their tickets, respectively.

Groups

12 teams are divided into two groups of six each. Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands comprise Group 1. West Indies, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, and Scotland are in Group 2.

Format

Each team will play five games in the group stage, and the top two teams from both groups will then advance to the semifinals. The winners of the semis will then lock horns for the ultimate prize in the summit clash.

Schedule