“Feel the thrill” as the Men’s T20 World Cup returns for its 10th edition to India and Sri Lanka. Twenty teams, including the United States, will participate in the International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament from Feb. 7 to March 8. Italy is debuting in this year’s tournament, following the footsteps of 2024 debutants the United States, Canada, and Uganda, according to the ICC.
“The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is uniquely competitive, thrilling and expressive, where moments turn into life-long memories for players and fans alike,” ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said in a statement.
India enters the tournament as defending champion after winning the 2024 World Cup cricket title, which the United States and the West Indies hosted. The tournament has had six different winners, including West Indies (2012, 2016), India (2007, 2024), England (2010, 2022), Australia (2021), Pakistan (2009), and Sri Lanka (2014).
All 20 teams participating in the tournament have announced their squads, and players have traveled to the cities where they play their first match. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming tournament, including how to watch.
When is the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup?
The 10th edition of the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup will be played from Feb. 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.
2026 T20 World Cup venues
Matches will be played across eight venues in seven cities. India’s venues include:
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will host games in:
- Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
- R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
What is T20 Cricket? How many overs are in a T20 match?
The T20 format of cricket is one of the shorter forms of the sport, with each match consisting of 20 overs.
First introduced at the professional level in England in 2003, the format quickly generated buzz worldwide. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was launched in 2007 to attract new audiences to the sport, according to the ICC.
How to watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup in the US
Fans can stream 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup matches on WillowTV, which is also available on streaming services like Fubo and Sling. ICC said Team USA’s matches will also be available for free on Willow’s official YouTube channel.
Scorecards, commentary, match highlights, and other details will also be available for fans to view on the ICC website and app.
T20 Cricket World Cup match times in the US
As the tournament kicks off, three matches are scheduled to be played each day, beginning at the following times:
- 10:30 a.m. local time / 12:30 a.m. ET
- 2:30 p.m. local time / 4:30 a.m. ET
- 6:30 p.m. local time / 8:30 a.m. ET
Which countries are participating in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup?
Countries participating in the 10th edition include:
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Canada
- England
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Scotland
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- USA
- United Arab Emirates
- West Indies
- Zambia
Teams are selected based on rankings, and Scotland was called in to replace Bangladesh at the last minute after the team pulled out of the tournament following the ICC’s refusal to move their matches from India to Sri Lanka. Bangladesh’s cricket board requested the ICC move the team’s matches due to safety concerns amid rising political tensions between the two countries, BBC News reported.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 prize money
While the prize money for the winners has not been announced, the previous edition offered a “historic prize pot of $11.25 million” divided among participating teams, according to the ICC.