ICC announces record prize money for Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

The ICC has announced a record prize pool for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England, with 12 teams set to compete. The tournament will feature expanded participation, increased rewards, and a multi-city trophy tour ahead of the event.

Hyderabad: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a record prize fund of US$8,764,615 for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 to be played in England from June 12, marking a 10 per cent increase on the 2024 edition.

That figure eclipses the US$7,958,077 pot shared between the 10 competing nations in the United Arab Emirates two years ago as the tournament prepares to expand to 12 teams for the first time.

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The winners will once again take home $2,340,000, with the runners-up receiving $1,170,000. The losing semi-finalists will earn $675,000, while every group match win will earn teams $31,154. All 12 participating teams will earn an assured minimum prize pot of $247,500.

England will take on Sri Lanka at Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the opener and will be joined by Australia, Bangladesh, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa and the West Indies, competing in the 33-match event, which will be played across seven venues over 24 days, vying for the top prize.

The Trophy Tour starts in London, where it will be placed in the centre of the square at the venue for the tournament’s final and the Home of Cricket, Lord’s Cricket Ground, accompanied by a dazzling projection, marking the first time anything has ever been projected onto the ground’s famous pavilion.

The trophy will travel to qualified European member nations in the Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland, before embarking on an extensive tour of the tournament’s host cities through May, building excitement ahead of the tournament’s first ball on June 12.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy will visit the host cities on the following dates:

Scotland: 07 to 10 May
Netherlands: 11 to 14 May
Ireland: 15 to 18 May
Leeds: 19 to 24 May
Manchester: 25 to 27 May
Birmingham: 28 to 29 May
Bristol: 31 May to 1 June
Southampton: 3 to 4 June
London: 5 to 8 June

ICC CEO, Sanjog Gupta, said: “The growth of women’s cricket continues to accelerate, and the expansion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to 12 teams, combined with a record prize pool, underlines our commitment to building a stronger, more competitive global game.”

Tournament Director Beth Barrett-Wild said: “The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be a landmark moment for the game, on course to become the most attended women’s cricket event in history, with record-breaking ticket demand and the largest-ever prize pot for a global women’s T20 competition. That level of investment, alongside prize money that matches the men’s game, is a powerful reflection of the status, quality and global appeal of women’s cricket today.”