The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is coming to India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026. This tournament will feature 20 teams from around the world, including Canada.
Team Canada will compete in Group D alongside South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates.
For Canadian cricket fans, this tournament is significant as the sport continues to grow in Canada, with domestic competitions like the GT20 Canada league gaining traction and the team achieving back-to-back World Cup qualifications for the first time in history.
What Is The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026?
The T20 World Cup is cricket’s international short-format tournament. Each match lasts about four hours. The 2026 edition features 20 nations divided into four groups of five teams.
The top two teams from each group advance to the Super 8 stage, followed by two semifinals and the final on March 8 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India and England have each won the tournament twice. India (2007, 2024), Pakistan (2009), Sri Lanka (2014), the West Indies (2012, 2016), and Australia (2021) are previous champions. This is the second time both India and Sri Lanka are hosting the tournament.
Canada Fixtures: Match Dates, Opponents & Local Times
Here’s when and where Canada will play their group matches, with times converted for Canadian fans:
Canada Fixtures Table (With EST/PST)
| Date | Fixture | Venue | Local Time (IST) | Canada Time (EST / PST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 9 | South Africa vs Canada | Ahmedabad (Narendra Modi Stadium) | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM EST / 5:30 AM PST |
| Feb 13 | Canada vs UAE | Delhi (Arun Jaitley Stadium) | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM EST / 1:30 AM PST |
| Feb 17 | New Zealand vs Canada | Chennai (MA Chidambaram) | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM EST / 9:30 PM PST (Feb 16) |
| Feb 19 | Afghanistan vs Canada | Chennai (MA Chidambaram) | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM EST / 5:30 AM PST |
Most matches happen during morning hours on the East Coast. West Coast fans will need to wake up early, with some matches starting before dawn. The match against New Zealand starts at 12:30 AM Eastern time (late night on Feb 16 for PST viewers).
If Canada advances to the Super 8 round, those matches would be played between February 21 and March 1, with exact times depending on which group they’re placed in.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 – Full Schedule (Complete List)
The tournament runs for exactly one month, with 55 matches total. Here’s the complete schedule:
Group Stage Matches
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | (IST) | (EST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 7 | 1st Match | Pakistan vs Netherlands | SSC, Colombo | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 7 | 2nd Match | West Indies vs Bangladesh | Kolkata | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 7 | 3rd Match | India vs USA | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 8 | 4th Match | New Zealand vs Afghanistan | Chennai | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 8 | 5th Match | England vs Nepal | Mumbai | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 8 | 6th Match | Sri Lanka vs Ireland | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 9 | 7th Match | Bangladesh vs Italy | Kolkata | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 9 | 8th Match | Zimbabwe vs Oman | SSC, Colombo | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 9 | 9th Match | South Africa vs Canada | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 10 | 10th Match | Netherlands vs Namibia | Delhi | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 10 | 11th Match | New Zealand vs UAE | Chennai | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 10 | 12th Match | Pakistan vs USA | SSC, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 11 | 13th Match | South Africa vs Afghanistan | Ahmedabad | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 11 | 14th Match | Australia vs Ireland | Premadasa, Colombo | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 11 | 15th Match | England vs West Indies | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 12 | 16th Match | Sri Lanka vs Oman | Kandy | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 12 | 17th Match | Nepal vs Italy | Mumbai | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 12 | 18th Match | India vs Namibia | Delhi | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 13 | 19th Match | Australia vs Zimbabwe | Premadasa, Colombo | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 13 | 20th Match | Canada vs UAE | Delhi | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 13 | 21st Match | USA vs Netherlands | Chennai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 14 | 22nd Match | Ireland vs Oman | SSC, Colombo | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 14 | 23rd Match | England vs Bangladesh | Kolkata | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 14 | 24th Match | New Zealand vs South Africa | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 15 | 25th Match | West Indies vs Nepal | Mumbai | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 15 | 26th Match | USA vs Namibia | Chennai | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 15 | 27th Match | India vs Pakistan | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 16 | 28th Match | Afghanistan vs UAE | Delhi | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 16 | 29th Match | England vs Italy | Kolkata | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 16 | 30th Match | Australia vs Sri Lanka | Kandy | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 17 | 31st Match | New Zealand vs Canada | Chennai | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 17 | 32nd Match | Ireland vs Zimbabwe | Kandy | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 17 | 33rd Match | Bangladesh vs Nepal | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 18 | 34th Match | South Africa vs UAE | Delhi | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 18 | 35th Match | Pakistan vs Namibia | SSC, Colombo | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 18 | 36th Match | India vs Netherlands | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 19 | 37th Match | West Indies vs Italy | Kolkata | 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| Feb 19 | 38th Match | Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe | Premadasa, Colombo | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 19 | 39th Match | Afghanistan vs Canada | Chennai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 20 | 40th Match | Australia vs Oman | Kandy | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
Super 8 Stage Matches
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | (IST) | (EST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 21 | 41st Match | Y2 vs Y3 | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 22 | 42nd Match | Y1 vs Y4 | Kandy | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 22 | 43rd Match | X1 vs X4 | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 23 | 44th Match | X2 vs X3 | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 24 | 45th Match | Y1 vs Y3 | Kandy | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 25 | 46th Match | Y2 vs Y4 | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 26 | 47th Match | X3 vs X4 | Ahmedabad | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Feb 26 | 48th Match | X1 vs X2 | Chennai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 27 | 49th Match | Y1 vs Y2 | Premadasa, Colombo | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Feb 28 | 50th Match | Y3 vs Y4 | Kandy | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Mar 1 | 51st Match | X2 vs X4 | Delhi | 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM |
| Mar 1 | 52nd Match | X1 vs X3 | Kolkata | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
Knockout Stage
| Date | Match | Venue | (IST) | (EST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4 | 1st Semifinal | Kolkata or Premadasa, Colombo* | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Mar 5 | 2nd Semifinal | Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
| Mar 8 | Final | Ahmedabad or Premadasa, Colombo* | 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM |
*Venue changes to Colombo if Pakistan qualifies
Super 8 Seedings (Pre-determined):
Group 1 (X Group): X1 = India, X2 = Australia, X3 = West Indies, X4 = South Africa
Group 2 (Y Group): Y1 = England, Y2 = New Zealand, Y3 = Pakistan, Y4 = Sri Lanka
These seedings assume the favorites win their groups. If upsets happen, teams take the seeding of whichever team they replaced.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Host Countries & Venues
The tournament will be played across eight cricket stadiums in India and Sri Lanka. India will host matches at five venues, while Sri Lanka will host at three locations.
In India:
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad – The world’s largest cricket stadium, holding over 130,000 fans. It will host the final match on March 8.
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – One of cricket’s historic grounds, this stadium will host the second semifinal and several group matches.
Eden Gardens, Kolkata – Will host the first semifinal unless Pakistan qualifies, which changes the location.
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai – Known for its spinning pitches that help certain types of bowlers. Canada will play two group matches here.
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi – A modern stadium in India’s capital city. Canada plays the UAE here on February 13.
In Sri Lanka:
R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo – Will host many matches, including all of Pakistan’s group games.
Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo – A historic cricket ground in the heart of Sri Lanka’s capital.
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy – Located in the hills, offering cooler weather.
For travelling fans, these venues offer different experiences. Most matches are scheduled for late afternoon or evening to avoid the hottest parts of the day.
Due to political tensions between India and Pakistan, all of Pakistan’s matches will be played in Sri Lanka, not India.
If Pakistan reaches the semifinals or final, those matches will also move to Colombo instead of their originally planned venues.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Groups (Official)
The 20 teams have been divided into four groups based on their world rankings and past performances. Here’s how the groups look:
Groups Table
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| Group A | India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan |
| Group B | Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman |
| Group C | England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal |
| Group D | South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE |
Each team plays every other team in their group once. The top two teams from each group advance to the Super 8 round.
Canada Team in ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Team Canada faces a challenging group in the tournament. They’ll play against South Africa, who finished as runners-up in the 2024 World Cup and are playing with confidence.
New Zealand reached the semi-finals in 2024 and have a history of strong performances.
Afghanistan has been improving steadily and caused upsets in recent tournaments. The UAE is considered a fellow Associate nation with experience.
Canada qualified for the tournament by going undefeated through the Americas Regional Qualifier held in King City, Ontario. Under captain Nicholas Kirton, they defeated Bermuda by 110 runs, Cayman Islands by 59 runs, and Bahamas by 10 wickets.
Canada Squad
Canada’s squad features a blend of experienced players and emerging talent:
Canada Squad Table
| Player | Role | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Kirton | Captain/Batsman | Right-hand | – |
| Kaleem Sana | Pace Bowler | Right-hand | Right-arm fast |
| Shivam Sharma | Pace Bowler | Right-hand | Right-arm fast-medium |
| Dilpreet Bajwa | Batsman | Left-hand | – |
| Harsh Thaker | All-rounder | Right-hand | Right-arm off-break |
| Aaron Johnson | Batsman | Right-hand | – |
| Navneet Dhaliwal | Batsman | Right-hand | Right-arm off-break |
| Ravinderpal Singh | Wicketkeeper | Right-hand | – |
| Saad Bin Zafar | All-rounder | Left-hand | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| Junaid Siddiqui | Wicketkeeper | Right-hand | – |
| Ansh Patel | All-rounder | Right-hand | Right-arm off-break |
Note: The complete 15-member squad will be announced closer to the tournament. The above list includes key players based on recent performances.
How To Watch ICC T20 World Cup 2026 In Canada
Canadian cricket fans have several options to watch the tournament:
Willow TV is the primary broadcaster for cricket in North America. They’ll likely show all 55 matches live with English commentary. Willow is available through:
- Direct subscription on their website (around $9.99/month USD)
- Cable providers that carry Willow (check with your provider)
ESPN+ may carry select matches or highlights, though full details haven’t been announced yet. If they do broadcast matches, it would be through their standard streaming subscription (around $10.99/month USD).
ICC.tv is the official ICC streaming platform. They typically offer live streaming in countries without major broadcast partners, though Canada might have blackout restrictions if Willow has exclusive rights.
Most matches will be shown live in the morning hours (EST), making them suitable for breakfast viewing. Major matches will likely be replayed multiple times throughout the day.
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Conclusion: ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Starts From February 7
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 represents a significant moment for cricket fans, especially in Canada. Canada’s qualification for consecutive World Cups demonstrates the growth of cricket in the country.
The T20 format means matches are short enough to fit into busy schedules, and the morning start times make it possible to catch games before work or school. Even competitive performances against top-tier nations will boost the sport’s profile back home.
Mark your calendars for February 9 when Canada takes on South Africa in Ahmedabad.
FAQs
Canada needs to finish in the top two of Group D. Wins against the UAE would help significantly, and competitive performances against South Africa, New Zealand, and Afghanistan could make the difference.
Due to political tensions between India and Pakistan, Pakistan’s team is not travelling to India for this tournament. All their matches, including potential semifinals and the final if they advance, will be played in Sri Lanka instead.
Twenty teams start in four groups. The top two from each group (eight teams total) move to the Super 8 round. From there, four teams reach the semifinals, and two teams play in the final. Each loss in the knockout rounds means elimination.
The final is scheduled for Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, on March 8. However, if Pakistan reaches the final, it will be moved to R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka instead.
Yes, Canada participated in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean, where they achieved their first tournament victory by defeating Ireland by 12 runs. The 2026 edition marks their second consecutive appearance.
