NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a record prize pool of about Rs 82 crore for the next Women’s T20 World Cup, set to take place in England and Wales in just two months’ time. The prize money is up by 10% compared with the previous edition, with the tournament also growing in size.
The 2026 event will feature 12 teams, an increase from the 10 sides that took part in 2024. The competition is scheduled to run from June 12 to July 5, spread across seven venues, and the final will be played at Lord’s Cricket Ground. The ICC has also highlighted the scale of the prize jump by comparing it with the last edition, which was staged in the UAE.
For context, the previous Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE offered a total prize purse of USD 7,958,077 (around Rs 74 crore). This year’s total has risen to USD 8,764,615 (roughly Rs 82 crore), which translates to the 10% increase announced by the ICC.
In terms of distribution, the champions will receive USD 2.34 million (about Rs 21.8 crore), while the runners-up are set to earn USD 1.17 million (approximately Rs 10 crore). Teams that finish as semi-finalists but do not reach the final will be paid USD 675,000 (around Rs 6.29 crore), and each win in the group stage carries a value of USD 31,154 (close to Rs 29 lakh).
The ICC also noted that every team will receive a guaranteed minimum prize amount. “All 12 participating teams will earn an assured minimum prize pot of USD 247,500 (Rs 2.06 crore approx),” the ICC said in its release.
The tournament begins with the host nation, England, taking on Sri Lanka at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 12. The full list of participating sides includes Australia, Bangladesh, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, and the West Indies, alongside England and Sri Lanka.
Overall, the Women’s T20 World Cup will be a 33-match contest staged over 24 days, culminating in the title match at Lord’s on July 5. The ICC trophy will also make a pre-event tour of the host cities before reaching London, with Scotland scheduled to be the first stop from May 7 to May 10.
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said the expansion and prize growth reflect the ICC’s broader push to strengthen the women’s game. “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,” Gupta said.
