In a significant structural shift on January 24, 2026, the ICC officially announced that Scotland will replace Bangladesh for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
This decision comes after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) formally refused to participate in the tournament according to the established schedule, citing unresolved security concerns about traveling to India. Despite weeks of negotiations and the ICC providing independent security assessments that found no verifiable threat, the impasse remained. Scotland, being the highest-ranked T20I side that had not originally qualified, was called up to ensure the 20-team format remains intact for the tournament starting February 7.
T20 World Cup 2026: Official Groups
The tournament features 20 teams divided into four groups. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Eights, followed by the knockout rounds.
- Group A: India, Pakistan, Namibia, Netherlands, USA
- Group B: Sri Lanka, Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman
- Group C: England, West Indies, Scotland, Nepal, Italy
- Group D: South Africa, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Canada, UAE
Updated T20 World Cup 2026 fixtures: Scotland replaces Bangladesh in the line-up
Group Stage
1. February 7, 2026
1st Match, Group A:
- Pakistan vs Netherlands
- Venue: Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
2nd Match, Group C:
- West Indies vs Scotland
- Venue: Kolkata, Eden Gardens
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
3rd Match, Group A:
- India vs United States of America
- Venue: Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
2. February 8, 2026
4th Match, Group D:
- New Zealand vs Afghanistan
- Venue: Chennai, MA Chidambaram Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
5th Match, Group C:
- England vs Nepal
- Venue: Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
6th Match, Group B:
- Sri Lanka vs Ireland
- Venue: Colombo, R.Premadasa Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
3. February 9, 2026
7th Match, Group C:
- Scotland vs Italy
- Venue: Kolkata, Eden Gardens
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
8th Match, Group B:
- Zimbabwe vs Oman
- Venue: Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
9th Match, Group D:
- South Africa vs Canada
- Venue: Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
4. February 10, 2026
10th Match, Group A:
- Netherlands vs Namibia
- Venue: Delhi, Arun Jaitley Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
11th Match, Group D:
- New Zealand vs United Arab Emirates
- Venue: Chennai, MA Chidambaram Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
12th Match, Group A:
- Pakistan vs United States of America
- Venue: Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
5 . February 11, 2026
13th Match, Group D:
- South Africa vs Afghanistan
- Venue: Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
14th Match, Group B:
- Australia vs Ireland
- Venue: Colombo, R.Premadasa Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
15th Match, Group C:
- England vs West Indies
- Venue: Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
6. February 12, 2026
16th Match, Group B:
- Sri Lanka vs Oman
- Venue: Pallekele, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
17th Match, Group C:
- Nepal vs Italy
- Venue: Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
18th Match, Group A:
- India vs Namibia
- Venue: Delhi, Arun Jaitley Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
7. February 13, 2026
19th Match, Group B:
- Australia vs Zimbabwe
- Venue: Colombo, R.Premadasa Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
20th Match, Group D:
- Canada vs United Arab Emirates
- Venue: Delhi, Arun Jaitley Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
21st Match, Group A:
- United States of America vs Netherlands
- Venue: Chennai, MA Chidambaram Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
8. February 14, 2026
22nd Match, Group B:
- Ireland vs Oman
- Venue: Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
23rd Match, Group C:
- England vs Scotland
- Venue: Kolkata, Eden Gardens
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
24th Match, Group D:
- New Zealand vs South Africa
- Venue: Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
9. February 15, 2026
25th Match, Group C:
- West Indies vs Nepal
- Venue: Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
26th Match, Group A:
- United States of America vs Namibia
- Venue: Chennai, MA Chidambaram Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
27th Match, Group A:
- India vs Pakistan
- Venue: Colombo, R.Premadasa Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
10. February 16, 2026
28th Match, Group D:
- Afghanistan vs United Arab Emirates
- Venue: Delhi, Arun Jaitley Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
29th Match, Group C:
- England vs Italy
- Venue: Kolkata, Eden Gardens
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
30th Match, Group B:
- Australia vs Sri Lanka
- Venue: Pallekele, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
11. February 17, 2026
31st Match, Group D:
- New Zealand vs Canada
- Venue: Chennai, MA Chidambaram Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
32nd Match, Group B:
- Ireland vs Zimbabwe
- Venue: Pallekele, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
33rd Match, Group C:
- Scotland vs Nepal
- Venue: Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
12. February 18, 2026
34th Match, Group D:
- South Africa vs United Arab Emirates
- Venue: Delhi, Arun Jaitley Stadium
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
35th Match, Group A:
- Pakistan vs Namibia
- Venue: Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
36th Match, Group A:
- India vs Netherlands
- Venue: Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
13. February 19, 2026
37th Match, Group C:
- West Indies vs Italy
- Venue: Kolkata, Eden Gardens
- Time: 11:00 AM LOCAL (5:30 AM GMT)
38th Match, Group B:
- Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe
- Venue: Colombo, R.Premadasa Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
39th Match, Group D:
- Afghanistan vs Canada
- Venue: Chennai, MA Chidambaram Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
14. February 20, 2026
40th Match, Group B:
- Australia vs Oman
- Venue: Pallekele, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
Super 8 stage
15. February 21, 2026
- 41st Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y2 vs Y3)
- Venue: Colombo, R.Premadasa Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
16. February 22, 2026
- 42nd Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y1 vs Y4)
- Venue: Pallekele, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
Also READ: Will Pakistan boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 after Bangladesh? Mohsin Naqvi breaks silence
- 43rd Match, Super 8 Group 1 (X1 vs X4)
- Venue: Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
17. February 23, 2026
44th Match, Super 8 Group 1 (X2 vs X3)
Venue: Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
18. February 24, 2026
- 45th Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y1 vs Y3)
- Venue: Pallekele, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
February 25, 2026
- 46th Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y2 vs Y4)
- Venue: Colombo, R.Premadasa Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
18. February 26, 2026
- 47th Match, Super 8 Group 1 (X3 vs X4)
- Venue: Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
- 48th Match, Super 8 Group 1 (X1 vs X2)
- Venue: Chennai, MA Chidambaram Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
19. February 27, 2026
- 49th Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y1 vs Y2)
- Venue: Colombo, R.Premadasa Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
20. February 28, 2026
- 50th Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y3 vs Y4)
- Venue: Pallekele, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
21. March 1, 2026
- 51st Match, Super 8 Group 1 (X2 vs X4)
- Venue: Delhi, Arun Jaitley Stadium
- Time: 3:00 PM LOCAL (9:30 AM GMT)
- 52nd Match, Super 8 Group 1 (X1 vs X3)
- Venue: Kolkata, Eden Gardens
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
Semifinals
22. March 4, 2026
- 1st Semi-Final
- Venue: TBC
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
23. March 5, 2026
- 2nd Semi-Final
- Venue: Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
Final
24. March 8, 2026
- Final
- Venue: TBC
- Time: 7:00 PM LOCAL (1:30 PM GMT)
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