ICC shortlists venues for 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka

The International Cricket Council (ICC), in collaboration with the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), has shortlisted eight venues for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, according to international media reports.

In India, matches will be held across five cities—Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata—while Sri Lanka will host games at three venues, including two stadiums in Colombo and one in Kandy.

 The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and Eden Gardens in Kolkata have been shortlisted to host the semifinals of the February–March event.

The venue for the final has not been decided and will depend on which teams qualify, particularly whether Pakistan reaches the title clash.

If Pakistan does not make the final, Ahmedabad remains a potential host.

For the semifinals, any match involving Sri Lanka or Pakistan will be staged in Colombo; if neither team reaches the semifinals, both matches will take place in India.

Should Pakistan reach the final, it will be played in Colombo.

According to the ICC release on October 17, the 20-team tournament will follow the same format as the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.

The teams are divided into four groups of five sides each, including the 13 Test-playing nations alongside Canada, the Netherlands, UAE, Nepal, Oman, and Namibia.

The group stage will be followed by a Super Eights phase, featuring the top two teams from each group.

 “The Super Eights will feature two groups of four sides, with the top two finishers from each group progressing to the knockout semifinals,” the ICC said.