Nat Sciver-Brunt replaced Heather Knight as England captain in April England will face Sri Lanka at Edgbaston in the opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup on 12 June 2026. Last month it was confirmed thatLord's would host the finalof the 12-team tournament, with Headingley, Old Trafford, Edgbaston, The Oval, the Hampshire Bowl and Bristol's County Ground as the other group-stage venues. England, Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa, India, West Indies, Pakistan and defending champions New Zealand have already qualified, and the four remaining places will be decided at a qualifying tournament later this year. The format consists of two groups of six teams and the top two from each will progress to the semi-finals. England's group includes West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and two qualifiers, with Australia, India, South Africa and Pakistan in the other. Both semi-finals will be held at The Oval on 30 June and 2 July respectively, and the final will be on Sunday, 5 July. The past six editions of the tournament have consisted of 10 teams. England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, said: "World Cups are always special, but this one already feels different - it has the potential to be truly game-changing. "It's going to be a huge moment for our sport and a brilliant opportunity to inspire young people and captivate fans across the country." Other notable fixtures include India v Pakistan at Edgbaston on 14 June, while England face champions New Zealand at The Oval on Saturday 27 June and Australia take on India the following day. England have not won the tournament since its first edition in 2009, when they beat New Zealand under the captaincy of current coach Charlotte Edwards. They were runners-up to Australia in 2012, 2014 and 2018, were knocked out in the semis in 2020 and 2023 and did not make it out of the group stage last year. Australia have won the trophy a record six times, their most recent title coming in South Africa in 2023 - before New Zealand's surprise win last autumn. However under Edwards and new captain Sciver-Brunt, England's first major assignment comes at the end of September with the 50-over World Cup taking place in India. Group 1: Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Qualifier, Qualifier Group 2: West Indies, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Qualifier, Qualifier All start times BST 12 June:England v Sri Lanka, Edgbaston (18:30) 13 June:Q2 v Q3 (10.30) and Australia v South Africa (14:30) - Old Trafford West Indies v New Zealand (18:30) - Hampshire Bowl 14 June:Q1 v Q4 (10:30) and India v Pakistan (14:30) - Edgbaston 16 June:New Zealand v Sri Lanka (14:30) and England v Q3 (18:30) - Hampshire 17 June:Australia v Q1 (10:30) and India v Q4 (14:30) - Headingley South Africa v Pakistan (18:30) - Edgbaston 18 June:West Indies v Q2 (18:30) - Headingley 19 June:New Zealand v Q3 (18:30) - Hampshire 20 June:Australia v Q4 (10:30) and Pakistan v Q1 (14:30) - Hampshire England v Q2 (18:30) - Headingley 21 June:West Indies v Sri Lanka (10:30) - Bristol South Africa v India (14:30) - Old Trafford 23 June:New Zealand v Q3 (10:30) and Sri Lanka v Q3 (14:30) - Bristol Australia v Pakistan (18:30) - Headingley 24 June:England v West Indies (18:30) - Lord's 25 June:India v Q1 (14:30) - Old Trafford South Africa v Q4 (18:30) - Bristol 26 June:Sri Lanka v Q2 (18:30) - Old Trafford 27 June:Pakistan v Q4 (10:30) and West Indies v Q3 (14:30) - Bristol England v New Zealand (18:30) - The Oval 28 June:South Africa v Q1 (10:30) and Australia v India (14:30) - Lord's 30 June:First semi-final (14:30) - The Oval 2 July:Second semi-final (18:30) - The Oval 5 July:Final (14:30) - Lord's There are reserve days scheduled for all three knockout fixtures.
England face Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup opener - see full schedule
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"England to Open Women's T20 World Cup Against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston"
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TruthLens AI Summary
England is set to kick off the Women's T20 World Cup by facing Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on June 12, 2026. This match marks the beginning of a 12-team tournament, with the final scheduled to take place at Lord's. The tournament features notable venues including Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, and others, with the group stage comprising two groups of six teams each. England's group includes competitive teams such as West Indies, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka, alongside two qualifiers yet to be determined. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be held at The Oval on June 30 and July 2, leading up to the final match on July 5. England, under the leadership of Nat Sciver-Brunt, who replaced Heather Knight as captain earlier this year, has high expectations for this tournament, especially after a series of mixed performances in previous editions.
This World Cup presents a significant opportunity for England, who have not won the tournament since its inception in 2009. In recent years, England has struggled, finishing as runners-up three times and facing early exits in other editions. The tournament will also feature a highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan at Edgbaston on June 14, as well as England's clash with the defending champions New Zealand on June 27 at The Oval. The competition is expected to inspire young players and engage fans, with Sciver-Brunt emphasizing the transformative potential of this World Cup for women's cricket. As the tournament approaches, the anticipation builds not only for England's performance but also for the overall impact this event may have on the sport, especially in the wake of New Zealand's surprising victory in the previous tournament held last autumn. The excitement surrounding the fixtures, including prominent matchups and the final at Lord's, indicates a promising and competitive atmosphere for the upcoming tournament.
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