England Cricket Team's Calendar 2026: T20 World Cup & other major events schedule
The England cricket team’s first match of 2026 will be the fifth and final Ashes test against Australia.
The England men’s and women’s cricket teams are gearing up for yet another action-packed season, with the men’s side concluding the Ashes 2025-26in Sydney, where they aim to salvage another win, following which they will feature in a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.
The senior men’s team then enters the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in February, aiming to reclaim glory after last year’s disappointment. England’s group includes West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Italy, offering a balanced challenge on Indian pitches.
Led by Harry Brook, England boast a packed-batting lineup, however bowling seems to be their weaker suit. As a result, a lot hinges on Jofra Archer and his fitness, while veteran spinner Adil Rashid is expected to carry the spinner roster.
Given their struggles in Test cricket, and poor performance in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) until now, England will be desperate to turn the tables around, with the clock ticking for coach Brendon Mccullum. Ben Stokes and team will be eager to capitalise on the three-match test series against both Pakistan and New Zealand on home conditions.
The England women’s team will also New Zealand and India in limited-overs series before the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in June-July on home soil, where they open against Sri Lanka. A historic first women’s Test at Lord’s against India adds prestige. It will be an important year for ENG W, as Nat Sciver Brunt looks to dominate her captaincy tenure, after taking over from Heather Knight.
The U19 squad kickoffs the year with the ICC World Cup, where they will look to add to their tally of triumphs, having won just once till now. The young team later hosts South Africa on home soil for 3 ODIs and 2 tests.
England Cricket Team schedule for the 2026 calendar year-
January
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-8 Jan 2026 | Australia | Test | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 2026 | Pakistan U19 | ICC U19 World Cup (Group Stage) | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 18 Jan 2026 | Zimbabwe U19 | ICC U19 World Cup (Group Stage) | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
| 21 Jan 2026 | Scotland U19 | ICC U19 World Cup (Group Stage) | Takashinga Sports Club, Harare |
January – February
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jan 2026 | Sri Lanka | ODI | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (RPS) |
| 24 Jan 2026 | Sri Lanka | ODI | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (RPS) |
| 27 Jan 2026 | Sri Lanka | ODI | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (RPS) |
| 30 Jan 2026 | Sri Lanka | T20I | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| 1 Feb 2026 | Sri Lanka | T20I | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
| 3 Feb 2026 | Sri Lanka | T20I | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium |
February
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb 2026 | Nepal | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (Group C) | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 11 Feb 2026 | West Indies | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (Group C) | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 14 Feb 2026 | Bangladesh | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (Group C) | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 16 Feb 2026 | Italy | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (Group C) | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
February – March
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Feb 2026 | Australia Women | T20I | Sydney |
| 19 Feb 2026 | Australia Women | T20I | Canberra |
| 21 Feb 2026 | Australia Women | T20I | Adelaide |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Australia Women | ODI | Brisbane |
| 27 Feb 2026 | Australia Women | ODI | Hobart |
| 1 Mar 2026 | Australia Women | ODI | Hobart |
| 6-9 Mar 2026 | Australia Women | Test (D/N) | Perth |
May
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May 2026 | New Zealand Women | ODI | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street |
| 13 May 2026 | New Zealand Women | ODI | County Ground, Northampton |
| 16 May 2026 | New Zealand Women | ODI | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff |
| 20 May 2026 | New Zealand Women | T20I | County Ground, Derby |
| 23 May 2026 | New Zealand Women | T20I | St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury |
| 25 May 2026 | New Zealand Women | T20I | County Ground, Hove |
May – June
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May 2026 | India Women | T20I | County Ground, Chelmsford |
| 30 May 2026 | India Women | T20I | County Ground, Bristol |
| 2 Jun 2026 | India Women | T20I | The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton |
June
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-8 Jun 2026 | New Zealand | Test | Lord’s, London |
| 17-21 Jun 2026 | New Zealand | Test | The Oval, London |
| 25-29 Jun 2026 | New Zealand | Test | Trent Bridge, Nottingham |
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jun 2026 | Sri Lanka Women | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (Group 2) | Edgbaston, Birmingham |
| 24 Jun 2026 | West Indies Women | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (Group 2) | Lord’s, London |
| 27 Jun 2026 | New Zealand Women | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (Group 2) | Kennington Oval, London |
June – July
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jun 2026 | South Africa U19 | Youth ODI | Uptonsteel Grace Road, Leicester |
| 3 Jul 2026 | South Africa U19 | Youth ODI | County Ground, Northampton |
| 6 Jul 2026 | South Africa U19 | Youth ODI | The Kent County Cricket Ground, Beckenham |
| 10 Jul 2026 | South Africa U19 | Test | The Kent County Cricket Ground, Beckenham |
| 17 Jul 2026 | South Africa U19 | Test | The 1st Central County Ground, Hove |
July
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 2026 | India | T20I | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street |
| 4 Jul 2026 | India | T20I | Old Trafford, Manchester |
| 7 Jul 2026 | India | T20I | Trent Bridge, Nottingham |
| 9 Jul 2026 | India | T20I | Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol |
| 11 Jul 2026 | India | T20I | The Rose Bowl, Southampton |
| 14 Jul 2026 | India | ODI | Edgbaston, Birmingham |
| 16 Jul 2026 | India | ODI | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff |
| 19 Jul 2026 | India | ODI | Lord’s, London |
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-13 Jul 2026 | India Women | Test | Lord’s, London |
August – September
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19-23 Aug 2026 | Pakistan | Test | Headingley, Leeds |
| 27-31 Aug 2026 | Pakistan | Test | Lord’s, London |
| 9-13 Sep 2026 | Pakistan | Test | Edgbaston, Birmingham |
September
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 2026 | Ireland Women | ODI | Grace Road, Leicester |
| 3 Sep 2026 | Ireland Women | ODI | County Ground, Derby |
| 6 Sep 2026 | Ireland Women | ODI | County Ground, New Road, Worcester |
| Date | Opponent | Format | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 2026 | Sri Lanka | T20I | The Rose Bowl, Southampton |
| 17 Sep 2026 | Sri Lanka | T20I | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff |
| 19 Sep 2026 | Sri Lanka | T20I | Old Trafford, Manchester |
| 22 Sep 2026 | Sri Lanka | ODI | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street |
| 24 Sep 2026 | Sri Lanka | ODI | Headingley, Leeds |
| 27 Sep 2026 | Sri Lanka | ODI | The Oval, London |
Will England’s men squad play any Test series in 2026?
Seven: Fifth Ashes test vs Australia (Jan first week), three vs New Zealand (June-July) and three vs Pakistan (August-September).
What will be England’s biggest target in 2026?
Winning the ICC T20 World Cup title, for both men’s and women’s team.
Will the England women’s team play a Test in 2026?
Yes, a historic one-off Test against India Women at Lord’s from July 10-13.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.
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