Lord's to host final of 2026 Women's T20 World Cup

Lord's will host the final of the Women's T20 World Cup on Sunday 5 July next year, organisers have announced.

The 12-team tournament will be held across England with Headingley, Old Trafford, Edgbaston, The Oval, the Hampshire Bowl and Bristol's County Ground also hosting matches.

It will begin on Friday, 12 June with the full schedule to be announced in due course, and will be the second time England has hosted the tournament.

The right to host the tournament was awarded to both England and Wales but Cardiff has not been chosen as a venue.

The women's 50-over World Cup was held in England in 2017 with the hosts famously winning a dramatic final at Lord's.

"The sell-out Women's Cricket World Cup final at Lord's in 2017 remains a landmark in the rise of the women's game, and I cannot think of a more fitting stage for the final," said International Cricket Council chair Jay Shah.

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould said: "It is of course extra special to announce that the final will be taking place at Lord's.

"It is one of the finest venues in world cricket and every cricketer dreams of being part of occasions like a World Cup final at Lord's.

"We want this competition to be part of a long-term movement, and not just a single moment in time.

"This World Cup will grow a new generation of fans who didn't grow up with women's cricket but will never imagine sport without it."

The past six women's T20 World Cups have been contested by 10 teams, the most recent won by New Zealand last autumn, but this edition has been expanded.

England have already qualified as hosts while Australia, India, New Zealand, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are already assured of their places.

The final four spots will be secured at the qualifying tournament later this year.