Nepal will host the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier from 12 January to 2 February next year, with games split between the Lower and Upper Mulpani grounds on the eastern edge of Kathmandu. The International Cricket Council confirmed the window on Wednesday; detailed fixtures are still being stitched together.
Ten sides will chase the four remaining tickets to the World Cup proper, to be played in England and Wales in June–July 2026. Five teams are already locked in. Bangladesh and Ireland arrive via their appearances at the 2024 global event, while Thailand and the hosts earned passage through the Asian pathway and the USA did likewise from the Americas. Two berths each for Africa and Europe plus one from East Asia-Pacific will be filled once regional qualifying wraps up later this year.
“We’re thrilled to bring a world event to Kathmandu,” Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) chief Chatur Bahadur Chand said in a short statement. “The women’s game here is growing fast and this tournament should give it another nudge.”
Tournament structure remains familiar: two groups of five feed into a Super Six phase – essentially a second group stage where earlier results against fellow qualifiers are carried forward. The top four at the end of that mini-league head to the main event.
ICC events manager Chris Tetley added, “Nepal’s recent upgrades at Mulpani met all the criteria, and, importantly, the local appetite for cricket is obvious.”
The 2026 World Cup itself expands to 12 teams, up from ten in 2024, a tweak designed to give emerging nations a clearer route to elite competition. New Zealand, who edged South Africa in last year’s final, will defend their crown.
Squad announcements, broadcast details and ticket information are expected to drip out once the final qualification spots are settled.
