ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026: Full Guide — Schedule, Groups, Teams, Venues and Where to Watch

When and where is the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026?

The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 runs from June 12 to July 5, 2026, across seven venues in England and Wales. It is the 10th edition of the tournament and the biggest ever, featuring 12 teams for the first time. The final is at Lord's Cricket Ground in London on July 5.

Which teams are playing in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026?

Twelve teams compete: Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands in Group 1. England, West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, and Scotland in Group 2. The Netherlands are making their Women's T20 World Cup debut.

Women's T20 cricket has never had a stage this big. For the first time in the tournament's 17-year history, 12 teams are competing — expanding from 10 — with Scotland recording their first-ever Women's T20 World Cup win and the Netherlands making history as debut participants. The final is at Lord's on July 5, which has never hosted a Women's T20 World Cup final before.

Defending champions New Zealand are in the same group as hosts England. India and Australia — the two biggest names in the sport — are on a collision course in Group 1. Pakistan beat India in the warm-ups and arrived ready to cause chaos. South Africa's Marizanne Kapp is the tournament's form all-rounder through the opening matches.

As of June 23, 21 of 33 matches have been played. The group stage is still wide open across both pools. Here is everything you need.

The Tournament at a Glance

The Groups

Group 1

Group 1 is the harder draw. Australia, India, and South Africa are all realistic semi-final contenders, meaning at least one of them goes home in the group stage. The June 14 India vs Pakistan match at Edgbaston was the most anticipated fixture of the opening week. June 28's Australia vs India at Lord's is the group stage finale that could decide who tops the pool.

Group 2

Group 2 has the home nations storyline — England vs Scotland at Headingley on June 20 was the first time the two countries have met at any World Cup on English soil. Scotland have already recorded their first-ever Women's T20 World Cup win this tournament. England face West Indies on June 24 at Lord's, which is shaping up as a genuine top-two decider.

Full Schedule

All times in BST (British Summer Time) and IST (India Standard Time) and PKT (Pakistan Standard Time).

⏰ BST = UTC+1 | IST = UTC+5:30 = BST+4:30 | PKT = UTC+5 = BST+4

Matches are played in three daily slots:

• Morning: 10:30 AM BST → 3:00 PM IST → 2:30 PM PKT
• Afternoon: 2:30 PM BST → 7:00 PM IST → 6:30 PM PKT
• Evening (D/N): 6:30 PM BST → 11:00 PM IST → 10:30 PM PKT

Group Stage (June 12–28)

Part 1: June 12–20

Part 2: June 21–28

Knockouts

Reserve days available: July 1 (SF1), July 3 (SF2), July 6 (Final). If no minimum play on scheduled day and reserve day, higher-ranked group-stage team advances in semis; joint winners declared in the final.

The Seven Venues

Edgbaston holds particular significance — England won the first-ever Women's Cricket World Cup here in 1973 under Rachel Heyhoe Flint. It hosted the tournament opener and the India vs Pakistan blockbuster.

Lord's hosts the final on July 5 — a Women's T20 World Cup first. The ground has hosted men's finals but never the women's showpiece until now.

The Oval hosts both semi-finals on June 30 and July 2.

All 12 Teams

🇦🇺 Australia

Six-time Women's T20 World Cup champions. The most successful team in the tournament's history. Alyssa Healy leads a squad that has won this title more than anyone else — their last triumph came in 2023. They haven't won the 50-over World Cup in 2025 (India beat them in the final) and the T20 trophy is the one they want back. Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, and Ellyse Perry give them batting depth others can't match.

🇮🇳 India

Reigning ICC Women's ODI World Cup champions after their 2025 triumph. Smriti Mandhana is the ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year heading into this tournament and is already among the top run-scorers in Group 1. India have never won the Women's T20 World Cup — 2020 final losers to Australia — and the core of that squad is still together. This is as close as they've come to the form required to finally claim it.

🇳🇿 New Zealand

Defending champions. Won the 2024 title in UAE, beating South Africa in the final. Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates provide the experienced batting core. Their pace attack is their strength — on English conditions that offer swing and seam, they could be even more dangerous here than they were in the UAE. They're the team to beat in Group 2.

🇿🇦 South Africa

2024 finalists, here to go one better. Marizanne Kapp is the standout performer of the tournament's opening week — she's batting, bowling, and catching at a level that makes South Africa genuinely scary. Laura Wolvaardt at the top gives them power in the first six overs.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

Hosts and winners of the 2009 inaugural edition. Danni Wyatt-Hodge scored the tournament's first century, becoming the oldest player to do so in Women's T20 World Cups among full-member teams. England posted their highest-ever T20 World Cup score in the process, smashing Scotland by 38 runs. Nat Sciver-Brunt is their match-winner through the middle overs.

🌴 West Indies

2016 Women's T20 World Cup champions. Hayley Matthews is the most dangerous opening batter in the tournament when conditions suit — and English conditions suit her. They beat Sri Lanka on the opening weekend with Matthews steering the chase expertly. In Group 2, they're the second-most credible semi-final contender after New Zealand.

🇵🇰 Pakistan

Pakistan arrived with momentum — they beat India in warm-up matches before the tournament started, which immediately put the rest of Group 1 on notice. Nida Dar remains Pakistan's most experienced campaigner and they have genuine pace options who can swing the ball in England. A semi-final appearance would be a landmark achievement for Pakistan women's cricket.

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

Chamari Athapaththu is one of the most explosive opening batters in the women's game and she's in fine form — 139 runs already through the group stage as of June 23. Sri Lanka beat Ireland comfortably in their last match. They're not going to win the tournament but they're capable of upsetting England or New Zealand on their day.

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

Qualifying from Group 1 behind Australia and India is an enormous ask, but Bangladesh's spinners on English pitches that are soft and slow early in the day can be effective. They are a competitive side who won't give easy points away.

🇳🇱 Netherlands

Making their Women's T20 World Cup debut. A landmark moment for Dutch cricket — public broadcaster NOS is providing free-to-air coverage for all Netherlands matches. They're not expected to advance but their presence alone shifts what this tournament means for the global growth of women's cricket.

🇮🇪 Ireland

Qualified through the Nepal qualifier. Home nations rivalry — they face England and Scotland in Group 2 — gives them extra motivation. Ireland women's cricket has grown significantly over the last five years and they compete well against top-tier opposition.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland

Scotland recorded their first-ever Women's T20 World Cup win this tournament — a historic moment for Scottish cricket. Darcey Carter has been their standout batter through the group stage. In Group 2 they are heavy underdogs but they are no longer there just to make up the numbers.

Our Predictions

🏆 Winner: Australia

Six titles, the deepest squad, and the best record of performing in knockout cricket. India are breathing down their neck and South Africa are genuinely threatening, but Australia know how to win finals. If they top Group 1, they pick a favorable semi-final draw and the final at Lord's is where their experience tells most.

🥈 Runner-Up: India

The 2025 ODI World Cup winners have the momentum, the batting depth, and Smriti Mandhana in the form of her career. They've never won the T20 title and the squad knows it. The June 28 match against Australia at Lord's will likely decide who tops Group 1 and who takes the harder semi-final draw. That game is the real final in Group 1.

Semi-Final 1: New Zealand

Defending champions. English conditions suit their pace attack. Sophie Devine reads the game in England better than almost any other batter in the world. They top Group 2.

Semi-Final 2: South Africa

Marizanne Kapp is carrying the tournament on her shoulders and South Africa are playing their best cricket in years. They finish second in Group 1 if Australia edge them, which sets up a semi-final against whoever comes second from Group 2.

Dark Horse: West Indies

Hayley Matthews in English conditions is a danger to any side. West Indies beat Sri Lanka in the opening week and are capable of knocking out England or New Zealand if they meet them in the semis. A West Indies final appearance would be one of the stories of the summer.

Where to Watch — TV and Live Streaming

📺 By Region

💡 Pakistan fans: PTV and PTV Home carry the tournament free on state television. Urdu commentary is available for all Pakistan matches via PTV Home and digital partner platforms. Geo Super covers the same matches on cable/satellite.

💡 Indian fans: JioHotstar provides a vertical live feed and multi-cam features for India matches, including Hero Cam, Stump Cam, Battery Cam, and Field View. Commentary available in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada for India matches plus the semi-finals and final.

💡 Anywhere in the world: ICC.tv provides free live coverage in all territories not covered by an existing broadcast deal. It's the most reliable fallback for any region.

Why This Edition Is Different

This is the first Women's T20 World Cup with 12 teams. Four nations — Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands — qualified through the Nepal qualifier, and all four have made their presence felt. Scotland's first-ever World Cup win happened in this edition. The Netherlands are playing international cricket on the biggest stage their women's program has ever seen.

The final at Lord's on July 5 has never been done before. Lord's hosting a Women's T20 World Cup final is a statement — the home of cricket, reserved for the pinnacle of the women's game.

The prize money pool of $8.76 million is the highest ever for a Women's T20 World Cup — a 10% increase from 2024 — with the winners guaranteed at least $2.34 million.

The top four teams of this tournament also carry ICC rankings implications that feed directly into the Asian Games 2026 squads, the next ICC events cycle, and the road to cricket's Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.

The final is July 5. Lord's. 2:30 PM BST — 7:00 PM IST — 6:30 PM PKT.