Ahmedabad to host 2026 T20 World Cup final

Cricket fever is set to return to India as Ahmedabad has been confirmed to host the final of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, with four other major cities Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai shortlisted as key venues for the tournament.

The iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket ground with a capacity exceeding 1,00,000, will once again be the center of attention. The same venue hosted the 2023 ODI World Cup final between India and Australia.

According to sources, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to release the complete schedule of the event next week. The tournament is likely to kick off on February 7 and conclude with the final on March 8.

The 2026 edition will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, following an agreement that allows Sri Lanka to act as a neutral venue for Pakistan’s matches. Games in Sri Lanka will be played across Colombo and Kandy, with a third venue to be finalized soon.

India, the defending champions after their triumphant run in Barbados last June, will look to retain their crown on home soil. The BCCI’s selection of five Tier-1 cities is aimed at ensuring maximum crowd engagement and world-class infrastructure.

However, if Pakistan advance to the final, the summit clash will be shifted to Sri Lanka in line with the neutral-venue agreement.

Under the current ICC arrangement, India and Pakistan will continue to play their matches at neutral venues until 2027, maintaining the spirit of competition while respecting existing political sensitivities.