ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Kicks Off in England
Hosts England face Sri Lanka in the opening fixture at Edgbaston, marking the start of a month-long global showpiece.
The story
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is officially underway in England and Wales, with the opening ceremony and first match scheduled for today, June 12. The tournament, featuring 12 elite teams, will run until July 5 across seven venues.
Hosts England will take on Sri Lanka in the inaugural match at Edgbaston, Birmingham. India, the reigning ODI World Cup champions, are placed in Group 1 and will begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 14 at the same venue. This tenth edition of the T20 World Cup promises 33 matches of high-stakes cricket, with teams divided into two groups of six, battling for a spot in the semi-finals and ultimately the title at Lord's. [1, 3, 7, 8, 17]
Tables that matter
| Competition | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ICC Women's T20I Team Rankings | 1 | Australia leads with 287 points. [15] |
| ICC Women's T20I Team Rankings | 3 | India holds 264 points ahead of the World Cup. [12, 15] |
| ICC Women's ODI Team Rankings | 1 | Australia is dominant at the top with a rating of 163. [12, 14] |
| ICC Women's ODI Team Rankings | 3 | India is ranked third with a rating of 124, having won the 2025 ODI World Cup. [12, 14] |
What we'll be watching
- England vs Sri Lanka (ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Match 1) on June 12 at Edgbaston. [1, 7, 8]
- Scotland vs Ireland (ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Match 2) on June 13 at Old Trafford. [1, 7, 8]
- Australia vs South Africa (ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Match 3) on June 13 at Old Trafford. [1, 7, 8]
- West Indies vs New Zealand (ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Match 4) on June 13 at Hampshire Bowl. [1, 7, 8]
- Bangladesh vs Netherlands (ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Match 5) on June 14 at Edgbaston. [1, 7, 8]
- India vs Pakistan (ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Match 6) on June 14 at Edgbaston. [1, 3, 7, 8]
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