T20 World Cup 2026 schedule sets February 7 start, March 8 final

The men’s T20 World Cup is underway, and the tournament’s structure is now clear enough for fans to plan their viewing even if they aren’t tracking every fixture day-to-day. The competition runs from February 7, 2026, through March 8, 2026 (all dates in ET), with 20 teams, an opening group phase, a Super 8 round, and then semifinals and the final.

While match start times vary by venue and day-night scheduling, the broader rhythm of the event is set: group-stage volume early, a tighter Super 8 window, then three knockout dates that can reshape everything fast.

Host venues and where matches are played

The 2026 event is co-hosted across India and Sri Lanka, with games spread across eight grounds. India’s venues include Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai, while Sri Lanka’s matches are centered around Colombo (two grounds) and Kandy.

That geographic split matters for travel and broadcast planning because the tournament often stacks matches by city for short stretches. If you’re following a specific team, you’ll likely see clusters of games in one country before a switch depending on the group allocation and later-stage qualification.

T20 World Cup 2026 schedule and key stage dates

Below is the main calendar spine for the tournament (ET). This is the most useful “at a glance” guide if you’re trying to understand when the event shifts from group chaos into knockout pressure.

If you’re looking for the full “t20 world cup schedule” match list, the most practical approach is to start with this spine, then plug in your team’s group games and likely Super 8 paths once the standings take shape.

Groups, rivals, and the path to Super 8

The tournament uses four groups in the opening phase:

• Group A: India, Pakistan, United States, Netherlands, Namibia

• Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman

• Group C: England, West Indies, Scotland, Nepal, Italy

• Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada, United Arab Emirates

The immediate takeaway for cricket fans: the group stage is designed to create early drama, but it’s the Super 8 where title odds often swing hardest. A team can look comfortable in its group and still hit a brutal run of opponents once the field narrows.

What “schedule talk” means for fans and teams

With a compact calendar, squads face two competing pressures: rotate enough to manage workloads, but keep combinations stable before the Super 8. In T20, one off night can flip net run rate and complicate qualification, so teams often balance risk differently depending on their group position.

For fans, the schedule creates predictable story beats:

• First two weeks: rapid-fire matches, upsets, and qualification math

• Super 8 window: fewer games, higher stakes, tactical matchups

• Knockouts: short, intense finish where a single spell or cameo can decide the tournament

What to watch next as the tournament moves forward

From here, the most important schedule-driven moments are the transition points: the final week of the group stage (when qualification scenarios harden) and the first few Super 8 matchdays (when top contenders show whether they can handle pressure against comparable opposition).

If your goal is simply to follow the tournament efficiently, focus on three checkpoints: your team’s last two group games, the first Super 8 match, and then the semifinal bracket once it’s set. Those windows usually contain the biggest swings in who looks like a true contender.

Sources consulted: International Cricket Council, ESPNcricinfo, The Guardian, Al Jazeera