The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is coming to India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026. This tournament will feature 20 teams from around the world, including the United States.
Team USA will compete in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Namibia.
For American cricket fans, this tournament is significant as the sport continues to grow in the United States, with Major League Cricket gaining traction and cricket set to return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
What is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026?
The T20 World Cup is cricket’s international short-format tournament. Each match lasts about three hours. The 2026 edition features 20 nations divided into four groups of five teams.
The top two teams from each group advance to the Super 8 stage, followed by two semifinals and the final on March 8 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India , the West Indies, and England have each won the tournament twice. India (2007, 2024), Pakistan (2009), Sri Lanka (2014), West Indies (2012, 2016), and Australia (2021) are previous champions. This is the second time both India and Sri Lanka will host the tournament.
USA Fixtures — Match Dates, Opponents & Local Times
Here’s when and where USA will play their group matches, with times converted for American fans:
USA Fixtures Table (With EST/PST)
| Date | Fixture | Venue | Local Time (IST) | USA Time (EST / PST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 7 | India vs USA | Mumbai (Wankhede Stadium) | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM EST / 5:30 AM PST |
| Feb 10 | Pakistan vs USA | Colombo (SSC) | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM EST / 5:30 AM PST |
| Feb 13 | USA vs Netherlands | Chennai (MA Chidambaram) | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM EST / 5:30 AM PST |
| Feb 15 | USA vs Namibia | Chennai (MA Chidambaram) | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM EST / 1:30 AM PST |
Most matches happen during morning hours on the East Coast. West Coast fans will need to wake up early, with some matches starting before dawn. The final USA group match against Namibia starts at 4:30 AM Eastern time.
If the USA advances to the Super 8 round, those matches would be played between February 21 and March 1, with exact times depending on which group they’re placed in.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 – Full Schedule (Complete List)
The tournament runs for exactly one month, with 55 matches total. Here’s the complete schedule:
Group Stage Matches
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | (IST) | (EST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 7 | 1st Match | Pakistan vs Netherlands | SSC, Colombo | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 7 | 2nd Match | West Indies vs Bangladesh | Kolkata | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 7 | 3rd Match | India vs USA | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 8 | 4th Match | New Zealand vs Afghanistan | Chennai | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 8 | 5th Match | England vs Nepal | Mumbai | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 8 | 6th Match | Sri Lanka vs Ireland | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 9 | 7th Match | Bangladesh vs Italy | Kolkata | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 9 | 8th Match | Zimbabwe vs Oman | SSC, Colombo | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 9 | 9th Match | South Africa vs Canada | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 10 | 10th Match | Netherlands vs Namibia | Delhi | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 10 | 11th Match | New Zealand vs UAE | Chennai | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 10 | 12th Match | Pakistan vs USA | SSC, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 11 | 13th Match | South Africa vs Afghanistan | Ahmedabad | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 11 | 14th Match | Australia vs Ireland | Premadasa, Colombo | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 11 | 15th Match | England vs West Indies | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 12 | 16th Match | Sri Lanka vs Oman | Kandy | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 12 | 17th Match | Nepal vs Italy | Mumbai | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 12 | 18th Match | India vs Namibia | Delhi | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 13 | 19th Match | Australia vs Zimbabwe | Premadasa, Colombo | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 13 | 20th Match | Canada vs UAE | Delhi | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 13 | 21st Match | USA vs Netherlands | Chennai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 14 | 22nd Match | Ireland vs Oman | SSC, Colombo | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 14 | 23rd Match | England vs Bangladesh | Kolkata | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 14 | 24th Match | New Zealand vs South Africa | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 15 | 25th Match | West Indies vs Nepal | Mumbai | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 15 | 26th Match | USA vs Namibia | Chennai | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 15 | 27th Match | India vs Pakistan | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 16 | 28th Match | Afghanistan vs UAE | Delhi | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 16 | 29th Match | England vs Italy | Kolkata | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 16 | 30th Match | Australia vs Sri Lanka | Kandy | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 17 | 31st Match | New Zealand vs Canada | Chennai | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 17 | 32nd Match | Ireland vs Zimbabwe | Kandy | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 17 | 33rd Match | Bangladesh vs Nepal | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 18 | 34th Match | South Africa vs UAE | Delhi | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 18 | 35th Match | Pakistan vs Namibia | SSC, Colombo | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 18 | 36th Match | India vs Netherlands | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 19 | 37th Match | West Indies vs Italy | Kolkata | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 19 | 38th Match | Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe | Premadasa, Colombo | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 19 | 39th Match | Afghanistan vs Canada | Chennai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 20 | 40th Match | Australia vs Oman | Kandy | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
Super 8 Stage Matches
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | (IST) | (EST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 21 | 41st Match | Y2 vs Y3 | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 22 | 42nd Match | Y1 vs Y4 | Kandy | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 22 | 43rd Match | X1 vs X4 | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 23 | 44th Match | X2 vs X3 | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 24 | 45th Match | Y1 vs Y3 | Kandy | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 25 | 46th Match | Y2 vs Y4 | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 26 | 47th Match | X3 vs X4 | Ahmedabad | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 26 | 48th Match | X1 vs X2 | Chennai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 27 | 49th Match | Y1 vs Y2 | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 28 | 50th Match | Y3 vs Y4 | Kandy | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Mar 1 | 51st Match | X2 vs X4 | Delhi | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Mar 1 | 52nd Match | X1 vs X3 | Kolkata | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
Knockout Stage
| Date | Match | Venue | (IST) | (EST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4 | 1st Semifinal | Kolkata or Premadasa, Colombo* | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Mar 5 | 2nd Semifinal | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Mar 8 | Final | Ahmedabad or Premadasa, Colombo* | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
*Venue changes to Colombo if Pakistan qualifies
Super 8 Seedings (Pre-determined):
- Group 1 (X Group): X1 = India, X2 = Australia, X3 = West Indies, X4 = South Africa
- Group 2 (Y Group): Y1 = England, Y2 = New Zealand, Y3 = Pakistan, Y4 = Sri Lanka
These seedings assume the favorites win their groups. If upsets happen, teams take the seeding of whichever team they replaced.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Host Countries & Venues
The tournament will be played across eight cricket stadiums in India and Sri Lanka. India will host matches at five venues, while Sri Lanka will host at three locations.
In India:
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad – The world’s largest cricket stadium, holding over 130,000 fans. It will host the final match on March 8.
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – One of cricket’s historic grounds, this stadium will host the second semifinal and several group matches, including USA’s opening game against India.
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata – Will host the first semifinal unless Pakistan qualifies, which changes the location.
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai – Known for its spinning pitches that help certain types of bowlers.
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi – A modern stadium in India’s capital city.
In Sri Lanka:
- R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo – Will host many matches, including all of Pakistan’s group games.
- Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo – A historic cricket ground in the heart of Sri Lanka’s capital.
- Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy – Located in the hills, offering cooler weather.
For traveling fans, these venues offer different experiences. Most matches are scheduled for late afternoon or evening to avoid the hottest parts of the day.
Due to political tensions between India and Pakistan, all of Pakistan’s matches will be played in Sri Lanka, not India. If Pakistan reaches the semifinals or final, those matches will also move to Colombo instead of their originally planned venues.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Groups (Official)
The 20 teams have been divided into four groups based on their world rankings and past performances. Here’s how the groups look:
Groups Table
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| Group A | India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan |
| Group B | Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman |
| Group C | England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal |
| Group D | South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE |
Each team plays every other team in their group once. The top two teams from each group advance to the Super 8 round.
USA Team in ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Team USA faces one of the toughest groups in the tournament. They’ll play against India, the defending champions who won the 2024 World Cup and are playing at home.
Pakistan won the title in 2009 and has a history of success in T20 tournaments. The Netherlands have been improving steadily and caused upsets in recent tournaments. Namibia is considered one of the weaker teams but can still compete.
The opening game against India at the Wankhede Stadium will be played in front of a packed crowd.
The match against Pakistan in Colombo will be another major test. The games against the Netherlands and Namibia give the USA their best chances to pick up wins, which they’ll need if they want to advance to the Super 8 stage.
How to Watch ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in USA
American cricket fans have several options to watch the tournament:
Willow TV is the primary broadcaster for cricket in the United States. They’ll likely show all 55 matches live with English commentary. Willow is available through:
- Direct subscription on their website (around $9.99/month)
- Cable providers that carry Willow (check with your provider)
- Sling TV’s International Sports package (around $14.99/month)
- Fubo TV with the Willow add-on
ESPN+ may carry select matches or highlights, though full details haven’t been announced yet. If they do broadcast matches, it would be through their standard streaming subscription (around $10.99/month).
ICC.tv is the official ICC streaming platform. They typically offer live streaming in countries without major broadcast partners, though USA might have blackout restrictions if Willow has exclusive rights.
For the best experience, Willow TV through Sling International Sports is likely your most reliable option. It gives you access to all matches, plus other cricket content throughout the year.
Most matches will be shown live in the morning hours (EST), making them suitable for breakfast viewing. Major matches like India vs Pakistan will likely be replayed multiple times throughout the day.
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Conclusion: ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Starts From February 7
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 represents a significant moment for cricket fans, especially in the United States.
T20 format means matches are short enough to fit into busy schedules, and the morning start times (for US viewers) make it possible to catch games before work or school.
As cricket continues growing in America with Major League Cricket and the sport returning to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, this World Cup gives USA Cricket a global platform. Even competitive performances will boost the sport’s profile back home.
Mark your calendars for February 7 when the USA takes on India in Mumbai.
FAQs
The USA needs to finish in the top two of their group. Wins against the Netherlands and Namibia would help, and even one upset against India or Pakistan could make the difference.
Due to political tensions between India and Pakistan, Pakistan’s team is not traveling to India for this tournament. All their matches, including potential semifinals and the final if they advance, will be played in Sri Lanka instead.
Twenty teams start in four groups. The top two from each group (eight teams total) move to the Super 8 round. From there, four teams reach the semifinals, and two teams play in the final. Each loss in the knockout rounds means elimination.
The final is scheduled for Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, on March 8. However, if Pakistan reaches the final, it will be moved to Colombo, Sri Lanka, instead.
The USA has participated in T20 World Cups before, most recently in the 2024 edition. They’re still building their program, but have shown steady improvement.
T20 is the shortest format of cricket. Each team gets to bat for a maximum of 20 overs (120 balls), making matches last about three hours total. It’s faster and more aggressive than longer formats, with more big hits. Think of it as the sprint version compared to the marathon of Test cricket.
The World Cup takes priority. Any USA players participating in the tournament will be with the national team. Major League Cricket’s season typically runs later in the year, so there shouldn’t be direct conflicts between the two competitions.
