T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier C 2026: Full Schedule, Start Times (Local, IST, ET), Where to Watch, and Our Prediction

T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier C 2026: Full Schedule, Start Times (Local, IST, ET), Where to Watch, and Our Prediction

By Cricket Daily

When and where is the T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier C 2026?

In Finland, from 14 to 21 August 2026, across two grounds near Helsinki, the Kerava National Cricket Ground and the Tikkurila Cricket Ground in Vantaa.

What do the teams play for?

A place at the Europe Regional Final and a step closer to the 2028 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Only the tournament winner advances.

Which teams are taking part?

Ten teams: Finland, Spain, Isle of Man, Luxembourg and Bulgaria in Group A, and Israel, Portugal, Czech Republic, Germany and Greece in Group B.

What time do the matches start?

Morning games start at 11:00 AM local Finland time (1:30 PM IST, 4:00 AM ET) and afternoon games at 4:00 PM local (6:30 PM IST, 9:00 AM ET).

Who is the favourite?

Germany are our pick to win it, with Portugal and Isle of Man the leading challengers, though associate qualifiers are always open to surprises.

Europe's road to the next global tournament reaches its final checkpoint in Finland. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier C 2026 brings ten nations to Helsinki for a week of high-stakes cricket, with one prize on offer and no room for error. Here is everything you need, from the full schedule in your time zone to where to watch and who we think will come out on top.

What is at stake

This tournament is part of the qualification pathway for the 2028 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which Australia and New Zealand will host. For these ten European sides, it is the first rung on a long ladder.

The reward is simple and brutal. Only the winner goes through. Whoever lifts the trophy on 21 August advances to the Europe Regional Final, where they will join the sides that came through the earlier qualifiers, including Jersey and Denmark, plus Scotland, all chasing a place at that 20-team World Cup. Finish second, and your campaign is over. That is what makes a tournament full of so-called smaller nations so gripping. Every single game matters.

The teams and groups

Ten teams are split into two groups of five, playing a round-robin within each group before the placement play-offs and the all-important final.

Group A: Finland (hosts), Spain, Isle of Man, Luxembourg, Bulgaria.

Group B: Israel, Portugal, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece.

All 24 matches are played across two grounds near Helsinki, the Kerava National Cricket Ground in Kerava and the Tikkurila Cricket Ground in Vantaa, from 14 to 21 August.

Start times in your time zone

Every match day features four games, two in the morning and two in the afternoon, and the start times are the same throughout the week. Finland is on Eastern European Summer Time, which is three hours ahead of GMT.

Morning session: 11:00 AM local (Finland) / 1:30 PM IST / 4:00 AM ET.

Afternoon session: 4:00 PM local (Finland) / 6:30 PM IST / 9:00 AM ET.

Full match schedule

Venue key: KER is the Kerava National Cricket Ground, VAN is the Tikkurila Cricket Ground in Vantaa. All times listed as Local (Finland) / IST / ET.

Note that 16 and 19 August are rest days.

Download the schedule as a PDF

Want to keep every fixture and start time with you, even offline? Download the full Cricket Daily PDF schedule for the tournament, complete with groups, venues, and all three time zones, so you can save it, print it, or share it straight into your group chat. It is the easiest way to plan your viewing for the week.

⬇️ Download ICC T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier C 2026

Where to watch live

Coverage of European associate qualifiers can vary, so here is where to look. These events are usually streamed free online through the ICC's digital platforms and the host board's channels, so keep an eye on Cricket Finland's official channels and the ICC for a live feed. In India, FanCode is often the home of European associate cricket, so that is the first place to check. Wherever you are, live scorecards and ball-by-ball updates will be available on ESPNcricinfo and Cricbuzz, and Cricket Daily will carry results and updates throughout the week. As always with these tournaments, it is worth confirming the stream closer to the first ball.

Our prediction

Time for Cricket Daily's call, with the usual caveat that associate cricket is gloriously unpredictable and a single good day can flip any group.

Group B looks the tougher of the two on paper. Germany are one of the most established sides in the field and start as our favourites, with Portugal, a fast-improving team, expected to push them hard for top spot. In Group A, Isle of Man, beaten finalists at a European qualifier back in 2022, have the experience to lead the way, though Spain and the hosts Finland, who know these conditions better than anyone, will fancy their chances of an upset on home soil.

Our pick for the title, and the one qualification place, is Germany, with Portugal and Isle of Man as the main challengers. But in a format where one rain-hit game or one hot batter can decide everything, do not be surprised if a dark horse crashes the party. That is exactly why these qualifiers are so much fun to follow.

Keep it locked to Cricket Daily for daily results, points tables, and full coverage of the road to the 2028 T20 World Cup.

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