T20 World Cup 2026: Narendra Modi Stadium earmarked to host final, India vs Pakistan in Colombo

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad has been shortlisted to host the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) expected to announce the complete schedule in the coming days. According to reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to limit the number of host cities compared to the 2023 ODI World Cup, ensuring that each selected venue will host a minimum of six matches.

The BCCI has shortlisted Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai as the primary venues in India. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament, will also host several matches across three stadiums. However, the final decision regarding which Sri Lankan venues will be used is yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, there are doubts looming over the chances of Bengaluru and Lucknow hosting games in the 20-team competition.

Interestingly, the Indian board has decided that the stadiums which hosted the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup earlier this year, including Guwahati's Barsapara Stadium, Visakhapatnam's ACA-VDCA Stadium, Indore's Holkar Stadium, and Navi Mumbai's Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, will not be considered for hosting the men’s T20 World Cup matches.

Meanwhile, the ICC has reportedly conveyed to the BCCI that if Sri Lanka qualifies for the semi-finals, their match will be held in Colombo. Furthermore, in case Pakistan reaches the final, their knockout games will be played at a neutral venue, in line with the diplomatic considerations reached upon in one of the earlier meetings.

Additionally, the India–Pakistan group-stage match is expected to be played in Colombo, as per a prior agreement between the two boards. This agreement, reached before the Champions Trophy, outlines that India and Pakistan will not travel to each other’s countries and will instead play bilateral or ICC matches in a neutral location at least till 2031, if not more.

The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin in the first week of February and the final will be played roughly a month later, with the BCCI and SLC — the co-hosts having already submitted its proposed schedule to the ICC.