The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the full warm-up schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, with just 30 days remaining before the tournament begins in England and Wales.
A total of 12 warm-up fixtures will be played between June 6 and June 10 across Derby, Loughborough and Cardiff as teams make their final preparations for the global event, which officially starts on June 12 with hosts England facing Sri Lanka in Birmingham.
The warm-up matches are set to feature several high-profile contests involving the tournament favorites, including England’s meetings with Australia and India in Cardiff. Defending champions New Zealand will also be in action twice, including a repeat clash against South Africa, the side they defeated in the previous Women’s T20 World Cup final.
Action begins on June 6 with four matches scheduled across Derby and Loughborough. Tournament debutants Netherlands will open their campaign against Scotland in Derby, while South Africa face Ireland in Loughborough. Sri Lanka will later meet Pakistan in Derby, while New Zealand takes on Bangladesh in the other evening fixture.
Cardiff will host two major contests on June 8 as India face West Indies before England square off against Australia in one of the standout warm-up games ahead of the tournament. The schedule continues on June 9 with Scotland playing Pakistan in Derby and Ireland taking on Bangladesh in Loughborough during the morning session. Netherlands will then face Sri Lanka later in the day, while South Africa and New Zealand renew their rivalry in Loughborough in a repeat of the 2024 final.
Warm-up fixtures schedule (all times local):
June 6: Netherlands vs Scotland – 10:00 AM, Derby
South Africa vs Ireland – 10:00 AM, Loughborough
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan – 3:00 PM, Derby
New Zealand vs Bangladesh – 3:00 PM, Loughborough
June 8: West Indies vs India – 10:00 AM, Cardiff
England vs Australia – 3:00 PM, Cardiff
June 9: Scotland vs Pakistan – 10:00 AM, Derby
Ireland vs Bangladesh – 10:00 AM, Loughborough
Netherlands vs Sri Lanka – 3:00 PM, Derby
South Africa vs New Zealand – 3:00 PM, Loughborough
June 10: India vs England – 10:00 AM, Cardiff
West Indies vs Australia – 3:00 PM, Cardiff
The warm-up phase will be particularly important for Netherlands, Bangladesh, Ireland and Scotland, all of whom secured qualification through the Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier. The matches will provide those teams with a valuable opportunity to adjust to conditions and test combinations against the greater teams before the main tournament begins.
Excitement around the Women’s T20 World Cup continues to build, with ticket sales already surpassing 145,000. Tournament organizers expect attendance figures to cross the 150,000 mark before the opening fixture, making it the highest-selling edition in the competition’s history.
With several heavyweight encounters scheduled before the tournament officially gets underway, the warm-up fixtures are expected to offer an early glimpse into the form and readiness of the leading contenders heading into the month-long event in England.
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