Excitement surrounding the 2026 T20 World Cup has risen sharply after the ICC unveiled the complete schedule and group allocations. Spanning from 7 February to 8 March, the competition will see an expanded line-up of 20 teams battling across four groups in the first stage.
Bangladesh find themselves in Group C, a pool that blends heavyweight cricketing nations with emerging sides. England and West Indies, both past T20 world champions, headline the group, while Nepal continue their steady rise in world cricket. Italy, making their maiden appearance at a T20 World Cup, round off the group. Bangladesh will begin their journey on the opening day, giving the team little time to ease into the competition.
Group A has unsurprisingly attracted immediate global attention, featuring arch-rivals India and Pakistan. The two neighbours will share the group with the United States, Namibia and the Netherlands, all of whom have demonstrated notable progress at ICC events in recent years.
In Group B, Australia and Sri Lanka lead the way, though Zimbabwe, Ireland and Oman are capable of creating surprises. Group D promises intriguing match-ups as well, with South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan forming a formidable trio. Canada and the UAE will be looking to make the most of their opportunities at world-level cricket.
After the group stage, the best eight teams will advance to the Super Eight round. These sides will be split into two groups, with the top two from each progressing to the semi-finals. The competition will conclude with the grand final on 8 March, bringing to a close what is expected to be one of the most diverse T20 World Cups to date.
