T20 World Cup 2026
The long wait until the next T20 World Cup is finally over. Participating countries are heading to Asia to play in the 10th edition which starts on the 7th of February. India and Sri Lanka are the two countries that will be hosting this biannual event. India won the last WC hosted by the West Indies and America.
The T20 World Cup is a relatively new competition compared to other cricket tournaments, having started in 2007 and first hosted by South Africa. The amount of teams participating has changed since the inaugural series. The first 4 tournaments only had 12 teams. That number increased to 16 in 2014, and organisers added four more teams in the last two editions, bringing the total to 20 teams competing in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup. England, India and the West Indies have all won the tournament twice.
Venues of the T20 World Cup
Eight venues will be used to host the 55 matches that will be played. Five of those are in India and the rest in Sri Lanka. The semi-final and final venues are not set in stone and ultimately depends on whether Pakistan reaches those stages. Therefore even these last venues are up for debate.
The Venues used in India are:
• Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, could potentially host a semi match and the final.
• Eden Gardens in Kolkata could potentially host a semi final match.
• Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium could in addition host a semi final.
• Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
• MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The Three Venues in Sri Lanka are:
• R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo could potentially host the final and a semi final match.
• Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele.
• International Stadium in Kand.
Teams Participating in the T20 World Cup
The organisers have placed the 20 competing teams into five groups of four. Bangladesh has also decided to pull out of this year’s tournament after security concerns.
Group A
• India (hosts & defending champs)
• Pakistan
• Namibia
• Netherlands
• United States
The countries in Group B
• Sri Lanka (co-hosts)
• Australia
• Ireland
• Zimbabwe
• Oman
Group C
• England
• West Indies
• Scotland (replaced Bangladesh)
• Nepal
• Italy
Countries in Group D
• South Africa
• New Zealand
• Afghanistan
• Canada
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Top Teams Heading into the 2026 T20 World Cup
We are proud to have the top Cricket Betting Sites in SA as partners. Before placing a bet, note that the odds on the 2026 Cricket World Cup matches from bookies vary, so have a look at the differences. Here are some of the teams worthy of a bet before the competition starts:
The organisers have divided the groups so that each group includes one or two strong teams. The SA Protea Team in Group D should easily make it through the knock out stage of the tournament. Proteas Cricket has been on form lately and team came second in the last World Cup. The Proteas are yet to win a World Cup with many believing that this is their year.
Furthermore, current title holders and co host India is coming in as one of the teams to beat this year. They currently rank as the number one team, and playing at home gives them a massive boost.
Australia is ranked second in the T20 world rankings. They are coming from a convincing win in the Ashes and in addition played well against India when the two teams met last year. With only Sri Lanka to worry about in their group, the Baggy Greens will undoubtedly advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.
The Kiwis are on par with South Africa in the sense that they have never won the T20 World Cup trophy and came second just like the Proteas. New Zealand rank third in the world, and their recent T20 matches against India have boosted their confidence.
Top Cricket betting Sites in South Africa
When it comes to Top Cricket Betting Sites in South Africa for the T20 ICC World Cup 2026, local punters are spoiled for choice. Betway is currently running a great T20 Promo & along side Gbets consistently delivers competitive odds on every T20 match. Whilst also covering popular bets like top run scorer, best bowler, and player performance specials. At the same time, Hollywoodbets keeps things exciting with fast payouts, strong mobile betting and a great T20 Cricket Conquest promotion. As well as regular cricket promotions that appeal directly to Mzansi fans. As a result, players enjoy a seamless betting experience whether they’re backing the Proteas or riding a late-innings upset. Therefore these platforms remain trusted favourites during major ICC tournaments. WSB also has a great Outright Win Promo where players back the Proteas to win.
However, value hunters also look beyond the big names, and SuperSportBET stands out by blending live cricket coverage with in-play betting options that enhance match-day excitement. Additionally, SuperSportBET offers local insight-driven markets, which makes following every over feel more engaging and informed. Meanwhile, Mzansibet continues to grow in popularity thanks to simplified cricket markets, and player-friendly bonuses tailored for South African bettors. Ultimately, by choosing licensed local bookmakers with strong cricket offerings, South African players can bet confidently on the T20 ICC World Cup 2026. Whilst enjoying secure gameplay, local payment methods, and a truly Saffa betting vibe. Perhaps rugby is your thing as well, so check out our Six Nations 2026 article in readyness for this weekend.
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