Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: England bid to bounce back from South Africa embarrassment

Feb 12, 2026 - 14:00

The England and Wales Cricket Board will host the 2026 International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup this summer.

Reigning champions New Zealand will bid to defend their title, but will face stiff competition from the hosts, Australia and South Africa.

With the men’s T20 World Cup currently underway in India and Sri Lanka, global attention on this thrilling format of the game is off the scale. Read on as we preview the tournament.

Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Group Stage Draw

Group 1: Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Qualifier, Qualifier
Group 2: West Indies, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Qualifier, Qualifier

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. The winners of those ties will meet in the final on July 5.

Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Schedule

Friday, June 12: England v Sri Lanka, Edgbaston (18:30)
Saturday, June 13: Qualifier v Qualifier, Old Trafford (10:30)
Saturday, June 13: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (14:30)
Saturday, June 13: West Indies v New Zealand, Hampshire Bowl (18:30)
Sunday, June 14: Qualifier v Qualifier, Edgbaston (10:30)
Sunday, June 14: India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (14:30)
Tuesday, June 16: New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Hampshire Bowl (14:30)
Tuesday, June 16: England v Qualifier, Hampshire Bowl (18:30)
Wednesday, June 17: Australia v Qualifier, Headingley (10:30)
Wednesday, June 17: India v Qualifier, Headingley (14:30)
Wednesday, June 17: South Africa v Pakistan, Edgbaston (18:30)
Thursday, June 18: West Indies v Qualifier, Headingley (18:30)
Friday, June 19: New Zealand v Qualifier, Hampshire Bowl (18:30)
Saturday, June 20: Australia v Qualifier, Hampshire Bowl (10:30)
Saturday, June 20: Pakistan v Qualifier, Hampshire Bowl (14:30)
Saturday, June 20: England v Qualifier, Headingley (18:30)
Sunday, June 21: West Indies v Sri Lanka, Bristol (10:30)
Sunday, June 21: South Africa v India, Old Trafford (14:30)
Tuesday, June 23: New Zealand v Qualifier, Bristol (10:30)
Tuesday, June 23: Sri Lanka v Qualifier, Bristol (14:30)
Tuesday, June 23: Australia v Pakistan, Headingley (18:30)
Wednesday, June 24: England v West Indies, Lord’s (18:30)
Thursday, June 25: India v Qualifier, Old Trafford (14:30)
Thursday, June 25: South Africa v Qualifier, Bristol (18:30)
Friday, June 26: Sri Lanka v Qualifier, Old Trafford (18:30 BST)
Saturday, June 27: Pakistan v Qualifier, Bristol (10:30 BST)
Saturday, June 27: West Indies v Qualifier, Bristol (14:30 BST)
Saturday, June 27: England v New Zealand, The Oval (18:30 BST)
Sunday, June 28: South Africa v Qualifier, Lord’s (10:30)
Sunday, June 28: Australia v India, Lord’s (14:30)
Tuesday, June 30: TBC v TBC (Semi Final 1), The Oval (14:30)
Friday, July 3: TBC v TBC (Semi Final 2), The Oval (18:30)
Sunday, July 5: TBC v TBC (The Final), Lord’s (14:30 BST)

Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Preview

England will head into the tournament with a point to prove after suffering an embarrassing defeat against South Africa at the 2025 Women’s World Cup.

However, since winning the inaugural edition in 2009, England’s record in the Women’s T20 World Cup is hugely underwhelming.

They have reached the final in three of the eight subsequent tournaments (2012, 2014 & 2018), but have fallen short on each occasion.

By contrast, Australia have lifted the trophy on six occasions. They are odds-on favourites with the bookmakers to emerge victorious this summer.

West Indies (2016) and New Zealand (2024) are the only other teams who have snapped Australia’s dominance in this format of the game.

While Australia are strongly fancied to add more silverware to their tally, England will be hoping that home advantage works in their favour.

Regardless of the outcome, tournament director Beth Barrett-Wild says the tournament will be a game-changer for women’s cricket.

“The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to transform a month of sporting excellence into a movement that will rewrite the narrative about women’s cricket,” she said.

“We’ll see incredible, world-class athletes battling it out in out in front of hundreds of thousands of fans, who with every ball bowled and run scored, will be contributing to lasting change.

“It’s our opportunity to give women’s cricket, and women’s sport, the stage it deserves.”

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