The ICC has released fresh details for the 2026 U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, setting the stage for another edition of crickets
Most-watched youth tournament.
The announcement outlines how the event will return to southern Africa, with Zimbabwe and Namibia preparing to host the competition early next year.
While the previous tournament concluded in 2024, anticipation for the next chapter has already begun to build, with officials stressing the importance of providing young players with exposure to top-level conditions.
More information is expected as teams finalize their preparations in the coming month.
ICC U19 World Cup 2026 Qualified Teams and Group Breakdown
According to the ICC’s confirmed release, 16 teams will compete in the 2026 edition.
Reports note that the structure mirrors previous tournaments, featuring four groups of four followed by the Super Six and knockout stages.
The ICC confirmed the following group placements:
- Group A: India, Bangladesh, USA, New Zealand
- Group B: Zimbabwe, Pakistan, England, Scotland
- Group C: Australia, Ireland, Japan, Sri Lanka
- Group D: Tanzania, West Indies, Afghanistan, South Africa
The ICC also highlighted Tanzania’s debut and Japan’s return, marking important milestones for both teams.
All sides are set to arrive on 8 January for warm-ups beginning a day later.
U19 World Cup 2026 Venues
As outlined in the ICC’s schedule announcement, matches will take place across five venues in the two host nations. These include:
- Harare Sports Club (Harare, Zimbabwe)
- Takashinga Sports Club (Harare, Zimbabwe)
- Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)
- Namibia Cricket Ground (Windhoek, Namibia)
- HP Oval (Windhoek, Namibia)
Zimbabwe will host the tournament’s final, while both countries will share group-stage and Super Six fixtures.
Tournament Dates and Format for the ICC U19 World Cup 2026
The ICC confirmed that the tournament will run from 15 January to 6 February 2026, covering 41 matches across 23 days.
The opening fixtures include India vs USA, Zimbabwe vs Scotland, and Tanzania vs West Indies.
Full ICC U19 World Cup 2026 Match Schedule
| Date | Match | Stage | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15 | USA vs India | Group A | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 15 | Zimbabwe vs Scotland | Group B | Takashinga Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 15 | Tanzania vs West Indies | Group D | HP Oval | 13:00 |
| Jan 16 | Pakistan vs England | Group B | Takashinga Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 16 | Australia vs Ireland | Group C | Namibia Cricket Ground | 13:00 |
| Jan 16 | Afghanistan vs South Africa | Group D | HP Oval | 13:00 |
| Jan 17 | India vs Bangladesh | Group A | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 17 | Japan vs Sri Lanka | Group C | Namibia Cricket Ground | 13:00 |
| Jan 18 | New Zealand vs USA | Group A | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 18 | England vs Zimbabwe | Group B | Takashinga Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 18 | West Indies vs Afghanistan | Group D | HP Oval | 13:00 |
| Jan 19 | Pakistan vs Scotland | Group B | Takashinga Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 19 | Sri Lanka vs Ireland | Group C | Namibia Cricket Ground | 13:00 |
| Jan 19 | South Africa vs Tanzania | Group D | HP Oval | 13:00 |
| Jan 20 | Bangladesh vs New Zealand | Group A | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 20 | Australia vs Japan | Group C | Namibia Cricket Ground | 13:00 |
| Jan 21 | England vs Scotland | Group B | Takashinga Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 21 | Afghanistan vs Tanzania | Group D | HP Oval | 13:00 |
| Jan 22 | Zimbabwe vs Pakistan | Group B | Takashinga Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 22 | Ireland vs Japan | Group C | Namibia Cricket Ground | 13:00 |
| Jan 22 | West Indies vs South Africa | Group D | HP Oval | 13:00 |
| Jan 23 | Bangladesh vs USA | Group A | Takashinga Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 23 | Sri Lanka vs Australia | Group C | Namibia Cricket Ground | 13:00 |
| Jan 24 | India vs New Zealand | Group A | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 24 | A4 vs D4 | Classification | HP Oval | 13:00 |
| Jan 25 | A1 vs D3 | Super Six (AD) | Namibia Cricket Ground | 13:00 |
| Jan 25 | D2 vs A3 | Super Six (AD) | HP Oval | 13:00 |
| Jan 26 | B4 vs C4 | Classification | Harare Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 26 | C1 vs B2 | Super Six (BC) | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 26 | D1 vs A2 | Super Six (AD) | Namibia Cricket Ground | 13:00 |
| Jan 27 | C2 vs B3 | Super Six (BC) | Harare Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 27 | C3 vs B1 | Super Six (BC) | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 28 | A1 vs D2 | Super Six (AD) | Harare Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 29 | D3 vs A2 | Super Six (AD) | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 30 | D1 vs A3 | Super Six (AD) | Harare Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 30 | B3 vs C1 | Super Six (BC) | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Jan 31 | B2 vs C3 | Super Six (BC) | Harare Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Feb 1 | B1 vs C2 | Super Six (BC) | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Feb 3 | Semi-final 1 | Knockout | Queens Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Feb 4 | Semi-final 2 | Knockout | Harare Sports Club | 13:00 |
| Feb 6 | Final | Championship | Harare Sports Club | 13:00 |
