ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 to feature record-breaking prize money

Women's cricket has evolved immensely in the last few years, getting attention from the audience throughout the world. While men's cricket is something that people look up to even now, women are slowly making their way into the sport, which indeed is a huge achievement. In India, the scenarios have changed drastically after the women's cricket team won the ODI World Cup in 2025. 

This change was visible in the prize pool as well. The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the prize pool for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup 2026, and the winner will take home a huge amount. The women's team will be super excited for the tournament as it also comes with a monetary benefit. 

Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 set to begin in June

The Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to begin in June 2026 after the end of the IPL 2026. The first will be played on June 12, between Sri Lanka Women and England Women at Edgbaston, Birmingham. A total of 12 teams have qualified for the tournament and are divided into two groups. The contest will be quite intriguing as the top two teams from both groups will clash in the semi-finals. 

The teams will play 30 matches in the group stage until June 28. The final will be played on July 5 at the iconic Lord's Stadium, London. The 12 teams will have enough chances to outplay each other in the group stage and reach the final game. India, Australia, Pakistan, and South Africa are in the same group, while the West Indies, England, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka are in the other. New Zealand women are the reigning champions and will look to defend their title. 

ICC set to boost prize pool significantly for global event

The ICC has planned to boost and promote sports worldwide, and hence, has increased the prize pool amount as well. All 12 participating teams in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 are guaranteed a minimum earning of $247,500, ensuring financial support across the board.

The total prize pool has been increased to $8.76 million, reflecting a 10% rise from the previous edition. Teams will earn $31,154 for every group-stage win, while those reaching the semi-finals will take home $675,000 each. At the top, the champions will be awarded $2.34 million, with the runners-up receiving $1.17 million.

"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," the ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said.