Cricket’s global stage will expand again in 2026, with the International Cricket Council confirming the 20 teams set to contest the Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The tournament will follow the same format as 2024, featuring four groups of five teams before progressing to the Super Eights, semi-finals, and final.

India will defend their crown after lifting the 2024 title, while Sri Lanka co-hosts the event for the first time in over a decade. Joining the hosts are seven automatic qualifiers from the previous World Cup: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the United States, and the West Indies. The three highest-ranked teams in the T20I standings that did not qualify automatically are Ireland, New Zealand, and Pakistan.

The remaining eight spots were secured through regional qualifiers. Canada advanced from the Americas, Namibia and Zimbabwe from Africa, Italy and the Netherlands from Europe, and Nepal, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates from the combined Asia and East Asia-Pacific pathway. Italy’s qualification marks their first-ever appearance at a T20 World Cup, highlighting the game’s expanding global reach.

With India defending their title on home soil and several debutants in the mix, the 2026 edition promises a blend of powerhouse matchups and new challengers ready to shake up cricket’s shortest format.