Lord's to host 2026 Women's T20 WC final

The tournament kicks off on June 12. © Getty
The 2026 Women's T20 World Cup, to be hosted by England, shall have its final at Lord's. This development was confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on May 1. This will be the third time in a row that an ICC World Cup edition hosted by England will have its summit clash at the iconic venue. The previous women's World Cup hosted by the country, the 50-overs tournament in 2017, had its final at Lord's, as did the men's ODI World Cup in 2019. Coincidentally, England were the winners on both occasions.

Apart from Lord's, six other venues have also been earmarked for the tournament. Old Trafford, Headingley, Edgbaston, Hampshire Bowl, The Oval and Bristol County Ground are the venues that will join Lord's in hosting the 2026 women's T20 World Cup. The tournament, featuring 12 teams, begins on June 12 with the final slated to be held on July 5. A total of 30 league fixtures will be played out, with the teams split into two groups of six each.

ICC Chair Jay Shah backed the ECB to organise a flawless tournament and hoped that England's rich tradition of the sport would enhance the outlook of the World Cup. He also felt that Lord's was an undisputed option for hosting the final.

"The confirmation of venues represents a defining moment as we build towards the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. This tournament will bring together the world's finest players in a celebration of skill, spirit and sportsmanship," said Shah.

"The United Kingdom's rich diversity has always shown passionate support for all teams, something we witnessed so memorably at past events. The sell-out Women's Cricket World Cup final at Lord's in 2017 remains a landmark in the rise of the women's game, and I cannot think of a more fitting stage for the final.

"As we turn our focus to preparing for the tournament, we are excited by the promise of thrilling T20 action that will not only captivate fans here but also serve as a showcase for cricket's return on the Olympic stage in Los Angeles 2028."

ECB's Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould exuded confidence about hosting what he termed as the 'biggest women's cricket event in the country'. The stakes are high and so is the pressure of seamlessly conducting the marquee tournament. Gould knows that the challenge at hand isn't an easy one but sounded upbeat about the process.

"We are hugely excited for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, and thrilled to be able to confirm the seven iconic venues that will host the tournament," said Gould through the ECB release.

"It is of course extra special to announce that the final will be taking place at Lord's. It is one of the finest venues in world cricket and every cricketer dreams of being part of occasions like a World Cup final at Lord's.

"This will be the biggest women's cricket event ever staged in England and Wales and is undoubtedly an opportunity to take the game to more people than ever before and welcome in new fans - young and old.

"Crucially though this isn't just about scale, it's about providing a world-class experience for players, fans and broadcasters alike, ensuring that the tournament reflects the elite performance of the players on the pitch.

"We want this competition to be part of a long-term movement, and not just a single moment in time. This World Cup will grow a new generation of fans who didn't grow up with women's cricket but will never imagine sport without it."