📅April 15, 2026 | By Pulse India News Desk
The ICC has announced a record prize pool of approximately ₹82 crore ($8.8 million) for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, marking a significant step in the financial growth of the women’s game.
The tournament, to be held in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, will feature 12 teams, making it one of the largest editions in the competition’s history.
The first match is between Hosts England vs Srilank schedule on June 12, 2026.
Tournament structure and key dates
This edition will see an expanded format with 12 teams competing across multiple venues in England. The tournament will begin on June 12, with the final scheduled for July 5.
One of the marquee fixtures in the group stage will be the India vs Pakistan clash on June 14, expected to draw global viewership given the rivalry.
Though Pakistan women team is very weak when compared to India, there will be still interest in people on the rivalry.
📅 Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Date-wise Fixtures
Note: All match timings below are in Indian Standard Time (IST).
June 12 (Friday)
11:00 PM IST – England vs Sri Lanka (Edgbaston)
June 13 (Saturday)
3:00 PM IST – Qualifier vs Qualifier (Old Trafford)
7:00 PM IST – Australia vs South Africa (Old Trafford)
11:00 PM IST – West Indies vs New Zealand (Hampshire Bowl)
June 14 (Sunday)
3:00 PM IST – Qualifier vs Qualifier (Edgbaston)
7:00 PM IST – India vs Pakistan (Edgbaston) 🔥
June 16 (Tuesday)
7:00 PM IST – New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (Hampshire Bowl)
11:00 PM IST – England vs Qualifier (Hampshire Bowl)
June 17 (Wednesday)
3:00 PM IST – Australia vs Qualifier (Headingley)
7:00 PM IST – India vs Qualifier (Headingley)
11:00 PM IST – South Africa vs Pakistan (Edgbaston)
June 18 (Thursday)
11:00 PM IST – West Indies vs Qualifier (Headingley)
June 19 (Friday)
11:00 PM IST – New Zealand vs Qualifier (Hampshire Bowl)
June 20 (Saturday)
3:00 PM IST – Australia vs Qualifier (Hampshire Bowl)
7:00 PM IST – Pakistan vs Qualifier (Hampshire Bowl)
11:00 PM IST – England vs Qualifier (Headingley)
June 21 (Sunday)
3:00 PM IST – West Indies vs Sri Lanka (Bristol)
7:00 PM IST – South Africa vs India (Old Trafford)
June 23 (Tuesday)
3:00 PM IST – New Zealand vs Qualifier (Bristol)
7:00 PM IST – Sri Lanka vs Qualifier (Bristol)
11:00 PM IST – Australia vs Pakistan (Headingley)
June 24 (Wednesday)
11:00 PM IST – England vs West Indies (Lord’s)
June 25 (Thursday)
7:00 PM IST – India vs Qualifier (Old Trafford)
11:00 PM IST – South Africa vs Qualifier (Bristol)
June 26 (Friday)
11:00 PM IST – Sri Lanka vs Qualifier (Old Trafford)
June 27 (Saturday)
3:00 PM IST – Pakistan vs Qualifier (Bristol)
7:00 PM IST – West Indies vs Qualifier (Bristol)
11:00 PM IST – England vs New Zealand (The Oval)
June 28 (Sunday)
3:00 PM IST – South Africa vs Qualifier (Lord’s)
7:00 PM IST – Australia vs India (Lord’s)
June 30 (Tuesday)
7:00 PM IST – Semi-Final 1 (The Oval)
July 2 (Thursday)
11:00 PM IST – Semi-Final 2 (Lord’s)
July 5 (Sunday)
7:00 PM IST – Final (Lord’s)
Prize money breakdown
The total prize pool of $8.8 million (₹82 crore approx.) is the highest ever for a Women’s T20 World Cup.
🥇 Winners: $2.34 million (~₹19.5 crore)
🥈 Runners-up: $1.17 million (~₹9.7 crore)
🥉 Losing semi-finalists (each): $675,000 (~₹5.6 crore)
The increase reflects ICC’s continued push towards greater financial parity in women’s cricket.
Expansion to 12 teams
The 2026 edition marks a shift from previous formats, with 12 teams participating, allowing more associate nations to feature on the global stage.
🏏 Teams Selected & Groups
A total of 12 teams will compete in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, with the tournament divided into two groups of six teams each.
Key Highlight: India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group, setting up one of the most anticipated clashes of the tournament.
This expansion is aimed at:
- Increasing global competitiveness
- Providing exposure to emerging teams
- Strengthening the international women’s calendar
Context: Growth of women’s cricket
The announcement comes amid a surge in interest in women’s cricket, driven by:
- Franchise leagues
- Higher broadcast reach
- Increased investment from boards
ICC stated that the enhanced prize pool is part of a broader effort to accelerate the global growth of the women’s game.
Bottom line
The Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 represents a commercial and structural leap forward, with higher stakes, wider participation, and growing global interest — all setting the stage for one of the most competitive editions yet.
