T20 World Cup 2026 venues: Ahmedabad to host final; Bengaluru, Navi Mumbai & Guwahati ruled out
by Naman Jain · Inside Sport IndiaThe Narendra Modi Stadium has hosted the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 final and 3 IPL finals as well.
With less than 100 days remaining for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the venue lineup is starting to take shape. As per a report by The Indian Express, Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium is likely to host the grand final. However, Bengaluru, Navi Mumbai, Indore and Guwahati are expected to miss out. The ICC is set to release the official schedule and fixtures soon.
Ahmedabad to host the final; fewer cities shortlisted
The tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026, marking the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup. In a recent meeting, top BCCI officials reportedly decided to limit the number of host cities compared to last year’s ODI World Cup. Each venue is expected to stage at least six matches.
Back in 2023, when India solely hosted the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, a total of 10 venues were used for the entire tournament. Apart from this, Guwahati and Trivandrum hosted India’s two warmup games as well, taking the tally of World Cup venues to 12. Now, with India co-hosting the event alongside Sri Lanka, the cities would be limited. This might also help ICC make a smooth schedule, without much fuss.
The five Indian venues shortlisted are Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai. The world’s largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad is set to host the final on March 8. In Sri Lanka, three venues are expected to be finalised, though their names have not yet been confirmed.
Ahmedabad is also known for the forgettable November 19, a day where Australia crushed India’s dream of lifting the ODI World Cup 2023, beating the Men in Blue in the final. The 132,000-seater stadium has also hosted the IPL 2022, IPL 2023 and IPL 2025 final.
Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 venues (likely)
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Why M Chinnaswamy, Navi Mumbai & other venues ruled out?
Bengaluru and Lucknow remain uncertain as potential hosts, with reports suggesting the BCCI is still reviewing their suitability. Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium is still in limbo after the unfortunate stampede that broke out outside the stadium in RCB’s victory parade after the IPL 2025 final. The Bengaluru stadium was declared unfit for major events by a state government panel earlier this year.
Meanwhile, venues that hosted matches in the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Indore and Navi Mumbai, have been ruled out for the men’s event. The Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai replaced M Chinnaswamy Stadium for the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 and finally hosted the iconic 2nd semi-final and final. BCCI plans to rotate hosting duties and give different cities an opportunity.
Also, there is an IPL 2026 lining up as well. BCCI needs to plan the schedule thoroughly so that the pitches at IPL don’t have worn-out pitches. Cities like Hyderabad, Dharamsala, New Chandigarh, Bengaluru (if allowed), and Lucknow will have fresh pitches for the IPL.
T20 World Cup 2026 format
- Total Teams: 20
- Hosts: India and Sri Lanka
Group Stage:
- 20 teams divided into 4 groups of 5 teams each
- Each team plays 4 matches in the group stage
- Top 2 teams from each group qualify for the Super Eights
Super Eights Stage:
- 8 qualified teams divided into 2 groups of 4 teams each
- Each team plays 3 matches in this round
- Top 2 teams from each Super Eight group move to the semi-finals
Knockouts:
- Semi-finals: 4 teams compete for a place in the final
- Final: Winners of both semi-finals play for the title