England to host the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup following ICC announcement

England will host the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, it was announced at the ICC Annual Conference on Tuesday.

With four major tournaments announced from 2024 to 2027, England will play host to the competition for the first time.

Although venues are yet to be confirmed, the competition will take place in June and will see the finals expanded from 10 to 12 nations, meaning a total of 33 fixtures will be played.

“We’re absolutely delighted that we’ve been selected to host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026,” said Claire Connor, interim chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

“We saw back in 2017 how hosting the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup captured people’s imagination and I’ll never forget watching Heather Knight lift the trophy on that magical day at a sold-out Lord’s.

“Women’s cricket has developed rapidly since then, from the numbers of girls picking up bats through All Stars and Dynamos, joining clubs, and being able to progress on a pathway to the highest levels of performance.

“We’re seeing right now the positive impact that the UEFA Women’s Euro is having for football, and hosting this global cricket event will give us another incredible opportunity to inspire even more girls to pick up a bat and ball.”

With the women’s international calendar now mapped out for the next five years, the ICC also confirmed the other host nations for upcoming events.

Bangladesh will host a major women’s tournament for the first time when they stage the T20 World Cup in 2024, with India then the location for the Women’s World Cup a year later.

Once England takes centre stage with the 2026 T20 Women’s World Cup, the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy is slated for Sri Lanka – subject to qualification – for February 2027.

While detailed arrangements, including venue selection, will now take place between the ECB and ICC, sports minister Nigel Huddleston heralded another landmark sporting event coming to England.

“A decade on from London 2012 and ahead of women’s T20 cricket taking place at the Commonwealth Games from this weekend, I’m delighted that the ICC has recognised the UK’s reputation as a host of major sporting events and champion for women’s sport,” he said.

“Thanks to the inspirational performances of Heather Knight’s team, our grassroots projects, impressive attendance figures at international and domestic matches and the increasing visibility on television and social media, we are one of the leading countries in the growth of women’s cricket.

“We know that sporting events hosted on our doorstep capture imaginations – whether through encouraging children to pick up balls and bats, or wider social and economic benefits.

“I look forward to working closely with tournament organisers on how we can use the spirit of this event to boost participation, deliver jobs, tourism opportunities, and unearth our stars of the future.”