India U19 World Cup 2026 journey schedule announced

India will start its U19 World Cup 2026 journey against the USA; the final match is on February 6 in Harare

U-19 World Cup: Zimbabwe and Namibia will jointly host the 2026 U-19 Cricket World Cup. Tanzania will make their first-ever appearance in an ICC event. Japan returns after last playing in the 2020 U-19 edition.

The schedule for the 2026 U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup has been announced by the ICC, which will be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia. The tournament will run from January 15 to February 6, with the final set to take place in Harare.

There will be a total of 16 teams that will take part in the competition, which will play 41 matches over three weeks. The tournament will begin with an opening day. India, who were runners-up in the last edition, will face the USA. Zimbabwe will play against Scotland, and Tanzania will make their first-ever appearance at a global ICC event, taking on the West Indies.

Australia, the defending champions, will start their campaign on January 16 against Ireland in Windhoek.

Matches will be held at five venues across the two host countries. In Zimbabwe, games will be played at Harare Sports Club, Takashinga, and Queens Sports Club. In Namibia, the venues are the Namibia Cricket Ground and the HP Oval, both in Windhoek.

The tournament will follow the usual format. Teams will first compete in four groups, followed by a Super Six stage, and then move on to the semi-finals and final. Warm-up matches are scheduled from January 9 to 14..

THE GROUPS:

Group A: India, Bangladesh, USA, New Zealand

Group B: Zimbabwe, Pakistan, England, Scotland

Group C: Australia, Ireland, Japan, Sri Lanka

Group D: Tanzania, West Indies, Afghanistan, South Africa

ICC Chairman Jay Shah mentioned a few words speaking about the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, and called the tournament a launchpad for the future stars. He mentioned how heroes like Brian Lara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, and Shubman Gill all started their journey through this tournament.

Looking ahead to the 2026 edition in Zimbabwe and Namibia, Shah said the ICC is proud to offer young players a top-level platform that will prepare them for the challenges of senior international cricket. He described the tournament as a place where dreams begin, rivalries form, and the future of the sport takes shape.

At last, Shah ended by sending his best wishes to all teams, encouraging them to play with pride and passion as they represent their countries.