ICC announce T20 World Cup fixtures and groups; India to start campaign against USA on February 7th

The 10th edition of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is all set to start on February 7th, 2026 as ICC announced the groups and the fixtures for the tournament. The first day of the tournament will witness six teams in action, including defending champions, India.

They will be taking on USA, hoping to become the first-ever team in the history of the tournament to defend their crown, as the game is slated to be played in Mumbai. The 20-team T20 extravaganza will be held across 29 days and eight venues, across India and Sri Lanka.

The venues that have been picked for the biennial cricketing revelry include the Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata) R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground (Colombo) and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy).

A total of 40 group matches will be played from February 7th to 20th, with the top two sides from each group progressing to the Super Eights. The Super Eight phase of the fray will be kick starting from February 21st. At the end of the Super Eight stage, the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

The semis are to be played in Kolkata/Colombo and Mumbai ahead of the summit clash which will be held in Ahmedabad/Colombo. India have been clubbed alongside Pakistan, USA, Netherlands and Namibia in Group A.

Speaking on the announcement of the groups and the fixtures, ICC Chairman, Jay Shah said, “It is wonderful to welcome the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup back to the subcontinent so soon after a groundbreaking Women’s Cricket World Cup. The passion for cricket in this region is unmatched, and fans have been waiting eagerly for another global spectacle.”

He further added, "The announcement of the fixtures brings us a step closer, and I have no doubt that the five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka will be alive with energy throughout the tournament."

ICC CEO, Sanjog Gupta said, “The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is expected to usher in a new era of global, marquee Cricketing events, both in terms of the athletic spectacle and fan experiences on offer. We have seen six different champions in less than two decades of the tournament’s history, which demonstrates the competitive nature of the competition.”

He concluded by stating, “With 20 teams from 5 continents vying for the title in Cricket’s most unpredictable format and the tournament returning after a decade to its biggest market, this promises to be a feast for Cricket fans around the world."

T20 World Cup Groups:

Group A: India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan
Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman
Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal
Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE

T20 World Cup schedule: