India will be defending champions when they host the T20 World Cup 2026 next year. ICC announced the schedule for the 20-team tournament which will kick off in February next year. India and Pakistan have been drawn in the same group, and will face off in Colombo on February 15. The competition will be played at 8 venues - Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Colombo and Kandy.

Defending champions India have been drawn alongside eternal rivals Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026. ICC announced the schedule for the 20-team tournament on Tuesday in Mumbai. Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Delhi are set to host the games in the tournament, with Pakistan set to play their matches in Colombo. The IND vs PAK match will be played on February 15 in Colombo.

India have been handed an easy group in the tournament. The Men in Blue will face Pakistan, with USA, Netherlands and Namibia. The defending champions will face USA in Mumbai on February 7 to kick off the tournament, with Namibia in Delhi on February 12, followed by Pakistan, and their final group game is against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18.

The T20 World Cup will kick off on February 7 with three matches a day during the group stages. Wankhede Stadium will host the semi-final should India qualify with Kolkata nailed as the second venue. Should Pakistan reach the semis, the match will be moved to Colombo. Narendra Modi Stadium will host the final on March 8. If Pakistan make the qualify, Colombo will host the tournament decider.

T20 World Cup 2026 Groups

Group A: India, Pakistan, USA, Namibia and Netherlands

Group B: Bangladesh, Italy, England, Nepal and West Indies

Group C: Australia, Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe

Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and UAE

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule

February 7 (11:00 AM): Pakistan vs Netherlands (Colombo)

February 7 (3:00 PM): West Indies vs Bangladesh (Kolkata)

February 7 (7:00 PM): India vs USA (Mumbai)

February 8 (11:00 AM): New Zealand vs Afghanistan (Chennai)

February 8 (3:00 PM): England vs Nepal (Mumbai)

February 8 (7:00 PM): Sri Lanka vs Ireland (Colombo)

February 9 (11:00 AM): Bangladesh vs Italy (Kolkata)

February 9 (3:00 PM): Zimbabwe vs Oman (Colombo)

February 9 (7:00 PM): South Africa vs Canada (Ahmedabad)

February 10 (11:00 AM): Netherlands vs Namibia (Delhi)

February 10 (3:00 PM): New Zealand vs UAE (Chennai)

February 10 (7:00 PM): Pakistan vs USA (Colombo)

February 11 (11:00 AM): South Africa vs Afghanistan (Ahmedabad)

February 11 (3:00 PM): Australia vs Ireland (Colombo)

February 11 (7:00 PM): England vs West Indies (Mumbai)

February 12 (11:00 AM): Sri Lanka vs Oman (Kandy)

February 12 (3:00 PM): Nepal vs Italy (Mumbai)

February 12 (7:00 PM): India vs Namibia (Delhi)

February 13 (11:00 AM): Australia vs Zimbabwe (Colombo)

February 13 (3:00 PM): Canada vs UAE (Delhi)

February 13 (7:00 PM): USA vs Netherlands (Chennai)

February 14 (11:00 AM): Ireland vs Oman (Colombo)

February 14 (3:00 PM): England vs Bangladesh (Kolkata)

February 14 (7:00 PM): New Zealand vs South Africa (Ahmedabad)

February 15 (11:00 AM): West Indies vs Nepal (Mumbai)

February 15 (3:00 PM): USA vs Namibia (Chennai)

February 15 (7:00 PM): India vs Pakistan (Colombo)

February 16 (11:00 AM): Afghanistan vs UAE (Delhi)

February 16 (3:00 PM): England vs Italy (Kolkata)

February 16 (7:00 PM): Australia vs Sri Lanka (Kandy)

February 17 (11:00 AM): New Zealand vs Canada (Chennai)

February 17 (3:00 PM): Ireland vs Zimbabwe (Kandy)

February 17 (7:00 PM): Bangladesh vs Nepal (Mumbai)

February 18 (11:00 AM): South Africa vs UAE (Delhi)

February 18 (3:00 PM): Pakistan vs Namibia (Colombo)

February 18 (7:00 PM): India vs Netherlands (Ahmedabad)

February 19 (11:00 AM): West Indies vs Italy (Kolkata)

February 19 (3:00 PM): Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe (Colombo)

February 19 (7:00 PM): Afghanistan vs Canada (Chennai)

February 20 (7:00 PM): Australia vs Oman (Kandy)

About T20 World Cup

The 2026 T20 World Cup will feature 20 teams divided into four groups of five. The top two from each group will move to the Super 8s, and the best four will advance to the semifinals.

India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the USA, West Indies, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman, and the UAE have all qualified. Zimbabwe, Italy, and the UAE replace Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Scotland from the 2024 lineup.