U19 World Cup 2026: Teams, Schedule, Format & Venue Details
ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup (Source: ICC)
Published - 12 Jan 2026, 06:39 AM• Read time - 12 mins
The 16th iteration of the ICC Men's U19 World Cup is set to commence on January 15, involving emerging talents from 16 countries. Here's all you need to know about the premier age-group tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) biannually.
Participants
Australia, India, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and the West Indies were the top 10 sides from the previous edition, and therefore, they qualified directly for the event. Zimbabwe also qualified directly, being the full member host. The remaining five spots were finalized through regional qualifiers.
Tanzania are making their debut at the tournament. They earned their qualification by winning the Africa qualifier, winning all five of their games against Namibia, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
Afghanistan topped the Asia Qualifiers, Japan dominated the East Asia‑Pacific pathway, Scotland clinched the Europe Qualifier, and the USA excelled in the Americas leg. So, a total of 16 teams will be in action.
Hosts and venue
Namibia and Zimbabwe are hosting the 16-team tournament. The tournament will be hosted across five venues in the two countries. Namibia Cricket Ground (Windhoek), HP Oval (Windhoek), Harare Sports Club (Harare, Zimbabwe), Takashinga Sports Club (Harare), Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) will host the marquee tournament.
Harare Sports Club will host the final showdown on February 6.
Groups
Defending champions Australia, Sri Lanka, Japan, and Ireland comprise Group A, whereas Group B consists of five-time winners India, New Zealand, the USA, and the winners of the 2020 edition, Bangladesh.
Two-time winners Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe, and England are part of Group C, and Group D has Tanzania, the West Indies, Afghanistan, and South Africa.
Format
All 16 teams have been divided into four groups of four each. The top three teams from each group will then move to the Super Sixes. Teams from Group A and D will be in one Super Sixes group, whereas those from B and C will be placed in the other.
The top two teams from both Super Sixes groups will then advance to the semis, and the final will be played on Friday, February 6.
Tournament schedule
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January | USA v India | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 15 January | Zimbabwe v Scotland | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 15 January | Tanzania v West Indies | HP Oval, Windhoek |
| 16 January | Pakistan v England | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 16 January | Australia v Ireland | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 16 January | Afghanistan v South Africa | HP Oval, Windhoek |
| 17 January | India v Bangladesh | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 17 January | Japan v Sri Lanka | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 18 January | New Zealand v USA | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 18 January | England v Zimbabwe | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 18 January | West Indies v Afghanistan | HP Oval, Windhoek |
| 19 January | Pakistan v Scotland | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 19 January | Sri Lanka v Ireland | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 19 January | South Africa v Tanzania | HP Oval, Windhoek |
| 20 January | Bangladesh v New Zealand | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 20 January | Australia v Japan | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 21 January | England v Scotland | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 21 January | Afghanistan v Tanzania | HP Oval, Windhoek |
| 22 January | Zimbabwe v Pakistan | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 22 January | Ireland v Japan | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 22 January | West Indies v South Africa | HP Oval, Windhoek |
| 23 January | Bangladesh v USA | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 23 January | Sri Lanka v Australia | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 24 January | India v New Zealand | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 24 January | A4 v D4 | HP Oval, Windhoek |
| 25 January | Super Six A1 v D3 | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 25 January | Super Six D2 v A3 | HP Oval, Windhoek |
| 26 January | B4 v C4 | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 26 January | Super Six C1 v B2 | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 26 January | Super Six D1 v A2 | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 27 January | Super Six C2 v B3 | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 27 January | Super Six C3 v B1 | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 28 January | Super Six A1 v D2 | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 29 January | Super Six D3 v A2 | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 30 January | Super Six D1 v A3 | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 30 January | Super Six B3 v C1 | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 31 January | Super Six B2 v C3 | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 01 February | Super Six B1 v C2 | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 03 February | First semi-final | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo |
| 04 February | Second semi-final | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 06 February | Final | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
FAQs
Q1. When is the U19 World Cup 2026 scheduled to take place?
Answer: It is scheduled to be held in January–February 2026.
Q2. How many teams will compete in the U19 World Cup 2026?
Answer: A total of 16 teams will participate.
Q3. Where will the U19 World Cup 2026 be hosted?
Answer: It will be hosted across Zimbabwe and Namibia.
