2026 T20 World Cup: Wankhede set for semifinal thriller, where will be the final and opening match? All you need to know
Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium has been chosen to host one of the semi-final matches, while Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium will stage both the opening game and the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which is expected to take place from February 7 to March 8. Ahmedabad had also hosted these key matches during the 2023 World Cup.
According to The Indian Express, if India and Pakistan face each other in the semi-final, their match will be played in Colombo, while the other semi-final will take place in Mumbai.
With Sri Lanka as a co-host, the tournament will be held across eight venues in both countries. In India, matches are expected to take place in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad, while Sri Lanka will have three host grounds. Apart from the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the other venues are likely to be Pallekele and either Dambulla or Hambantota.
Details about the warm-up matches are still unclear, but Bengaluru could host a few of them. The Indian cricket board has not yet decided if the games will be held at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) or at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The Indian team is likely to play in the four major cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai. Earlier reports mentioned that the Narendra Modi Stadium has been shortlisted to host the final, with the ICC expected to release the full schedule soon.
In a recent meeting of top BCCI officials, it was decided that the World Cup will take place in fewer cities than in 2023, with each venue expected to host at least six matches.
As for Bengaluru, it is still unclear if it will be included, as the stadium has not received safety clearance after the stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory celebrations. Similarly, it is not yet confirmed whether Lucknow will be one of the host cities.
The BCCI has decided that stadiums which hosted the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup will not be used for the men’s tournament. In India, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Indore, and Navi Mumbai hosted the recent Women’s ODI World Cup matches.
The ICC has informed the BCCI that if Sri Lanka reaches the semi-finals, their match will be played in Colombo. If Pakistan reaches the final, the championship match will take place at a neutral venue.
The BCCI has also confirmed that if India faces Pakistan, the game will be held in Sri Lanka, following an earlier agreement. This arrangement came after India declined to play in Pakistan during the ICC Champions Trophy, and both boards agreed that their matches in ICC and continental tournaments would be held at neutral locations. The BCCI has already shared the schedule with the ICC.
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