What is the ICC Women's T20 World Cup?
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup is the pinnacle of women's international Twenty20 cricket, run by the International Cricket Council. It is held every two years and brings together the top cricketing nations in the world. The 2026 edition is hosted by England and Wales — the first time the tournament has been held in England since the inaugural edition in 2009.
For cricket fans who haven't followed the women's game closely before, this is an exceptional entry point. T20 is the fastest, most accessible format of cricket: each innings lasts a maximum of 20 overs, matches are completed in an afternoon or evening, and the action is relentless from the first ball.
The basics: teams, matches, dates
12 teams. Defending champions Australia are joined by England, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, and one further qualifier.
33 matches. Group stage, Super 6, semi-finals, and final.
24 days. The tournament runs from 12 June to 5 July 2026.
Where are the matches being played?
Seven venues across England and Wales are hosting matches:
- Lord's, London — the home of cricket, hosting the final on 5 July
- Edgbaston, Birmingham
- Headingley, Leeds
- The Oval, London
- Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
- Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol
- Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
How does the tournament work?
The 12 teams are split into two groups of six. Each team plays the other five teams in their group once. The top two from each group advance to the Super 6 stage, where the four qualifiers play each other and carry forward points from earlier group matches. The top two from the Super 6 progress to the semi-finals, then the final at Lord's on 5 July.
5 July 2026 — The Final, Lord's. Women's cricket at the home of cricket. Whatever else you watch, mark this one in your calendar now.
The match you cannot miss: India v Pakistan
Every edition of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup produces a standout fixture, and in 2026 the group stage delivers one immediately. India v Pakistan at Edgbaston on 14 June is the tournament's most anticipated match.
India and Pakistan are two of the strongest sides in the women's game, and the India–Pakistan rivalry carries a weight that goes well beyond cricket. The atmosphere at Edgbaston for this fixture will be extraordinary. If you only watch one match in the group stage, make it this one.
Where to watch
In the UK, Sky Sports Cricket has live broadcast rights for the majority of matches, with BBC Sport showing selected fixtures on free-to-air television. Check the BBC Sport website and Sky Sports for the full broadcast schedule as it is announced.
International broadcast arrangements vary by territory — check your local sports broadcaster for availability.
Add every fixture to your calendar
The easiest way to follow the tournament is to subscribe to the HerFixtures ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 calendar feed. Every match, every venue, every kick-off time — directly in your phone's calendar app. The feed updates automatically when schedules change.
What to watch for
Australia are the team to beat. They have won six of the nine editions played and arrived in England with a settled, experienced squad. Their group matches will show you the standard everything else is being measured against.
England will be playing in front of home crowds for the first time in a global event of this magnitude. That comes with pressure and opportunity in equal measure — and the Edgbaston, Headingley, and Lord's crowds will make the atmosphere feel unlike anything in the women's game before.
India are the tournament's most watchable side right now. With players like Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, they combine technical excellence with match-winning power hitting. They have never won the ICC Women's T20 World Cup — 2026 feels like the year they have the squad to change that.
What comes after the World Cup?
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup is the centrepiece of the women's cricket calendar, but it is not the only competition on the HerFixtures feed. The WNBA and NWSL seasons are running simultaneously throughout June and July — if you want women's sport across multiple disciplines all summer, the full HerFixtures calendar has you covered.
Women's sport has never had a summer like this. Make sure you don't miss a fixture.