India is gearing up to host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with five iconic venues shortlisted for the global event. As per a report in the Times of India on Thursday (November 6), matches will be played at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, and Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. The world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad is reportedly set to host the final, making it the centrepiece of the tournament.
A major update emerging is that the Pakistan men’s cricket team is likely to play its matches in Colombo, following the hybrid-model approach similar to past tournaments.
India last hosted a major ICC event in 2023, when the ODI World Cup was staged across nine cities. Ahmedabad hosted both the opener and the final, while Mumbai and Kolkata conducted the semifinals. A formal announcement from the ICC regarding the 2026 venues is expected soon.
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The last time India hosted a T20 World Cup was in 2016. The final was held at the historic Eden Gardens, with semifinals played in Mumbai and Delhi. That season also saw matches hosted in cities like Nagpur, Mohali, Dharamsala and Bengaluru, showing India’s long-standing capacity to organise multi-city events successfully.
🚨 2026 T20 WORLD CUP FINAL AT THE NARENDRA MODI STADIUM. 🚨
– Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai also been short listed as venues to host the T20 World Cup. (Express Sports). pic.twitter.com/w9NfMDl7Ku
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 6, 2025
The 2026 T20 World Cup will feature 20 teams, following the same structure used in the 2024 edition. Teams will be split into four groups of five, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the Super 8s. From there, the best four will move into the semifinals.
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The qualified teams include: India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, USA, West Indies, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman, and UAE.
Among these, 17 teams featured in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Zimbabwe, Italy and the UAE replace Papua New Guinea, Uganda and Scotland for the upcoming edition, completing a diverse and competitive lineup for 2026.
