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Bristol County Ground selected as one of seven host venues for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

1 May 2025

Gloucestershire Cricket is thrilled to announce the Bristol County Ground has been selected as one of seven host venues for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Six other top-class venues have been confirmed for the expanded 12-team tournament that will see a total of 33 matches played over 24 days.

Bristol, which previously hosted ICC events in 2017 and 2019, is a confirmed venue along with Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Headingley, Edgbaston, Hampshire Bowl, The Oval and Lord's.

The final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held at Lord’s on Sunday 5 July, it has been announced.

The competition will kick off on Friday 12 June before culminating at Lord’s, 33 fixtures and 24 days later, showcasing the best of the global women’s game and seeking to take women’s cricket into the mainstream.

The matches in summer 2026 will be the first women's international tournament fixtures held in Bristol since the 50-over Women’s Cricket World Cup was hosted in England & Wales in 2017. During that tournament, which was won by England in a thrilling final vs India at Lord’s, the Bristol County Ground hosted eight matches including a nail-biting semi-final between England and South Africa.

The awarding of matches to Gloucestershire marks the continuation of the Club’s long-standing and proud support for the growth of the women’s game. The Bristol County Ground has been a home-from-home for Nat Sciver-Brunt’s England side with the team playing at least one fixture in Bristol each year, with the first IT20 being played between England and Australia in June 2011.

On the awarding of ICC Women's T20 World Cup matches to Bristol, Chief Executive Officer at Gloucestershire Cricket, Neil Priscott, said:

“We are overjoyed to be hosting ICC Women’s T20 World Cup fixtures in 2026, further cementing Bristol’s place as one of the very best international venues in England & Wales.

“The Bristol County Ground is a historic venue which has supported every step of the way the evolution of the women’s professional game over the last decade. From hosting Western Storm since the inception of the Kia Super League in 2016 to delivering a sell-out Ashes ODI in 2023, we are proud of creating memorable matchdays for women’s game, a legacy we are excited to be able to continue in 2026 and beyond.

“The awarding of these fixtures is a massive boost for the city of Bristol and the diverse cross-section of sports fans who live here, many of whom have enjoyed watching the Lionesses at Ashton Gate and, in 2025, will get the chance to watch the Women’s Rugby World Cup in the city next year as well.

“We are grateful to everyone who has supported us with our bid to be a host venue with special thanks going to our local MP, Darren Jones, Bristol City Council Leader, Tony Dyer, local councillors and our local tourism board, Visit West.

“With planning already underway for what promises to be another fantastic tournament in 2026, everyone at the Club is eager to help make the competition one to remember and looks forward to welcoming crowds of all ages, from all backgrounds, to the Bristol County Ground for one of the biggest tournaments in world cricket.”

England Women v India IT20 - Tuesday 01 July 2025, Bristol

Before the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026, England Women play in Bristol this summer! India are the visitors to the Bristol County Ground this July, and tickets are now 61% sold!

Adult tickets for this much-anticipated match start at £18, with Juniors starting at £8. 

BUY TICKETS

An expanded competition in 2026 will see 12 teams descend on England and Wales to compete for the prestigious trophy that is currently held by New Zealand.

The schedule of the tournament, which will see the teams competing in two groups followed by a knockout stage, will be announced in due course.

Eight countries are already sure of their place, with the final four participants to be decided through a Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier next year.

England and Wales were awarded hosting rights for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in 2022, with the seven host venues selected subsequently following evaluation of various criteria.

The competition will be officially launched at an event at Lord’s today (May 1), featuring some of the biggest names in British women’s sport, including England Head Coach Charlotte Edwards, England stars Tammy Beaumont, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell, and England rugby player Ellie Kildunne. It will set out a vision for the tournament to be a sporting spectacle which can accelerate equality in cricket and change the game for good, taking women’s cricket into the mainstream permanently.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Chair Jay Shah and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Richard Gould welcomed the confirmation of the venues.

ICC Chair Jay Shah said:

“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.

“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 Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould said:

“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.

“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.”

Today it was also announced that Director of Women’s Professional Game Beth Barrett-Wild and Director of Major Events Rob Hillman will act as Co-Tournament Directors for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The ICC’s global women’s events have been growing since the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 with increased attendances at venues and more viewership across broadcast and digital platforms.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 final between Australia and India in Melbourne saw a record 86,174 spectators in attendance while the finals of the subsequent T20 World Cups in Cape Town (2023) and Dubai (2024) were also sold out in markets where women’s cricket had never been ticketed before.

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