Women's T20 World Cup 2026: Full Schedule, Groups and IST Times

Women's T20 World Cup 2026: Full Schedule, Groups and IST Times

Twelve teams. Seven venues. Twenty-four days of cricket. And a final at the most famous ground in the sport.

The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is the tenth edition of this tournament — and the biggest one yet. For the first time, 12 nations are competing instead of 10. For the first time since the inaugural 2009 edition, England is hosting. And for the first time ever, the Netherlands have qualified for a Women's T20 World Cup.

This guide covers everything: how the 12 teams qualified, how the two groups break down, where every match is being played, and the complete fixture schedule with Indian Standard Time (IST) for every game from the opening match to the final at Lord's.

Tournament Snapshot

How the 12 Teams Qualified

This is the first 12-team edition in the tournament's history — up from 10 in 2024. The qualification pathway worked in three tiers:

Automatic qualifiers (top-five finishers from 2024 + host): England qualified automatically as hosts. Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies qualified by finishing in the top five of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Ranking qualifiers: Pakistan and Sri Lanka secured their places based on the ICC Women's T20I Team Rankings at the qualification cutoff.

Global Qualifier (Nepal, January–February 2026): The final four spots were decided in Kathmandu. Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands emerged from a competitive qualifying tournament featuring 10 nations. The Netherlands becoming the 12th and final qualifier marked the first time the Dutch women's team has reached a T20 World Cup — a landmark moment for Dutch cricket.

The Two Groups — Full Breakdown

The 12 teams are split into two groups of six. Every team plays the other five teams in their group once — a single round-robin format producing 15 matches per group, 30 in total. The top two from each group advance to the semi-finals.

Group A

Group A analysis: This is, on paper, the more top-heavy group. Australia are six-time champions — by far the most successful team in the tournament's history (winners in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023). India have never won this trophy but arrive with one of the most explosive batting line-ups in world cricket. South Africa were runners-up in 2024, losing the final by 32 runs to New Zealand — they will want to go one step further.

Pakistan and Bangladesh both bring South Asian conditions experience that could matter on English pitches that sometimes turn. The Netherlands, as debutants, face an enormous challenge — but qualifying for a World Cup at all is already a historic achievement for Dutch women's cricket.

The must-watch fixture: India vs Pakistan, June 14, Edgbaston, 7:00 PM IST. Australia vs India, June 28, Lord's, 7:00 PM IST — likely to decide who tops the group.

Group B

Group B analysis: New Zealand arrive as defending champions — their 2024 title win in the UAE was their first Women's T20 World Cup title, beating South Africa by 32 runs in the final. They will not be defending easily; England, playing on home soil with home support across all seven venues, are major contenders to top this group.

West Indies bring genuine firepower — Hayley Matthews is one of the most destructive all-rounders in the world game. Sri Lanka are a side capable of upsetting bigger teams on their day. Ireland and Scotland, both Global Qualifiers, represent the growing depth of women's cricket in the British Isles — and their head-to-head meeting on June 13 carries extra significance as two nations with deep cricketing ties to England.

The must-watch fixture: England vs Scotland, June 20, Headingley — the first-ever England vs Scotland women's match at a World Cup on English soil. England vs New Zealand, June 27, The Oval — a potential group decider between hosts and defending champions.

The 7 Venues

Seven of England's most storied cricket grounds are hosting this tournament — a mix of historic Test venues and modern county grounds.

Edgbaston carries deep historical weight for this tournament. In 1973, England won the first-ever Women's Cricket World Cup at this ground under Rachel Heyhoe Flint's captaincy — more than fifty years before this 2026 edition. Hosting the India vs Pakistan match here in 2026 connects the tournament's origins directly to its biggest modern rivalry.

Full Match Schedule — All 33 Fixtures (IST)

All times below are in Indian Standard Time. England operates on British Summer Time (BST) during this period, which is 4 hours and 30 minutes behind IST.

Group Stage — June 12 to June 28

Knockouts

Group-by-Group Fixture Density — When to Watch

If you want to follow one group closely, here's how the fixtures are distributed:

Group A heavy days: June 14 (India vs Pakistan), June 17 (three matches — Australia, India, South Africa all play), June 28 (Australia vs India decider at Lord's).

Group B heavy days: June 16, June 20 (England vs Scotland), June 27 (England vs New Zealand at The Oval).

The tournament's final group-stage weekend — June 27 and 28 — features four matches across two days that could shape the entire semi-final picture: England vs New Zealand, South Africa vs Bangladesh, and Australia vs India.

The Road to the Final — How Qualification Works

Each team plays 5 group matches. Points accumulate through wins (2 points), with net run rate as the primary tiebreaker — standard ICC tournament rules. The top 2 from Group A and the top 2 from Group B advance to the semi-finals on June 30 and July 2, both at The Oval.

The semi-final winners meet in the final at Lord's on July 5. Based on historical seeding patterns in ICC events, Semi-Final 1 typically pairs Group A's top team against Group B's second-placed team, while Semi-Final 2 pairs Group B's top team against Group A's second-placed team — though official cross-pairings will be confirmed once group standings are finalised.

Why This Edition Matters

The 2026 Women's T20 World Cup represents several firsts that make it historically significant beyond just being "bigger":

First 12-team edition — a 20% increase in participating nations, reflecting the ICC's continued investment in expanding the women's game globally.

First time the Netherlands have qualified — opening the tournament to a new cricketing nation in Western Europe.

First time England has hosted since the inaugural 2009 edition — 17 years later, returning to where it all began, but at a completely different scale.

Final at Lord's — the first time the Women's T20 World Cup final has been staged at the most iconic ground in the sport, signalling the ICC's commitment to giving women's cricket the biggest stages available.

10% increase in prize money — to $8.76 million, continuing a consistent year-on-year growth trend in financial investment in the women's game.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many groups are there in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026? There are two groups of six teams each — Group A and Group B. Each team plays the other five teams in its group once, in a round-robin format.

Which teams are in Group A of the Women's T20 World Cup 2026? Group A consists of Australia, India, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Netherlands.

Which teams are in Group B of the Women's T20 World Cup 2026? Group B consists of England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland, and Scotland.

How did teams qualify for the Women's T20 World Cup 2026? England qualified as hosts. Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies qualified via their top-5 finish at the 2024 edition. Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified via ICC rankings. Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands qualified through the Global Qualifier in Nepal.

Is this the first time the Netherlands have played a Women's T20 World Cup? Yes. The Netherlands qualified for the first time in their history through the Global Qualifier held in Nepal in January–February 2026.

How many matches are in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026? 33 matches total — 30 group-stage matches (15 per group), 2 semi-finals, and 1 final.

Where and when is the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Final? The Final is at Lord's Cricket Ground in London on Sunday, July 5, 2026, starting at 7:00 PM IST.

What time is India vs Pakistan in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026? India vs Pakistan is on June 14, 2026, at Edgbaston, Birmingham, starting at 7:00 PM IST.

Conclusion

Twelve teams, two groups, seven grounds, and one final at the spiritual home of cricket. The 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup is the most ambitious edition the tournament has ever staged — and the schedule reflects it. From the opening match at Edgbaston on June 12 to the final at Lord's on July 5, every fixture has been mapped out, every venue chosen with purpose, and every IST timing confirmed for fans across South Asia.

Whether your interest is India's title chase, England's home advantage, Australia's dominant history, or the Netherlands' historic debut — this is the schedule that will define the next 24 days of women's cricket.

Article published: June 11, 2026. All groups, qualification details, venues and IST timings verified via ESPN Cricinfo, ICC official schedule (released February 24, 2026), and Wikipedia tournament page. Author: Tanveer Ahmad| GNT Sports