The T20 World Cup 2026 is underway in its group stage, and the Super 8 lineup is nearly complete. Seven teams have already locked in their spots for the next phase, with one berth still up for grabs as the competition heads toward its business end.
Out of the 20 teams in the tournament, only eight will advance to the Super 8. The top two teams from each of the four groups earn a place in the next stage.
Two-time champions West Indies were the first team to seal Super 8 qualification. They did it in style with a nine-wicket demolition of Nepal that confirmed their top-two finish in Group C.
Defending champions India followed shortly after, routing arch-rivals Pakistan by 61 runs in Group A to punch their ticket to the next round.
Last year’s runners-up South Africa and New Zealand both booked their places from Group D. Co-hosts Sri Lanka were the first side from Group B to advance, beating former champions Australia at Kandy. It was a stunning result — Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka smashed an unbeaten 100 off 52 balls to steer the hosts to a commanding eight-wicket win.
Two-time winners England became the second team from Group C to qualify, edging past Italy by 24 runs in their final group match.
Zimbabwe created one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. They beat Australia by 23 runs in the group stage and then confirmed their Super 8 place after their match against Ireland ended in a washout. Australia, a pre-tournament favourite, were knocked out as a result.
The eighth and final Super 8 spot is still being contested. Pakistan and USA are both in the running from Group A, heading into the final matchday.
T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Qualified Teams
| Team | Group |
|---|---|
| West Indies | Group C |
| India | Group A |
| South Africa | Group D |
| England | Group C |
| Sri Lanka | Group B |
| New Zealand | Group D |
| Zimbabwe | Group B |
| TBD | TBD |
Super 8 Format And Structure
The Super 8 stage kicks off on February 21 and runs through March 1. The eight qualified teams split into two groups of four, with every team playing each other side in their group once. The top two from each Super 8 group advance to the semi-finals.
Before the tournament began, the ICC seeded eight teams based on T20I rankings and placed them into pre-assigned Super 8 slots. Australia, India, West Indies, and South Africa were seeded for Group 1. England, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka were seeded for Group 2.
If a seeded team exits in the group stage, the unseeded team that replaces them takes over that pre-assigned Super 8 slot. That is exactly what happened with Zimbabwe — they stepped into Australia’s Group 1 spot after the Australians were eliminated.
T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Schedule
| Date | Match | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 21, Saturday | New Zealand vs Y3 | 7:00 PM | Premadasa, Colombo |
| February 22, Sunday | Sri Lanka vs England | 3:00 PM | Kandy |
| February 22, Sunday | India vs South Africa | 7:00 PM | Ahmedabad |
| February 23, Monday | West Indies vs Zimbabwe | 7:00 PM | Mumbai |
| February 24, Tuesday | England vs Y3 | 7:00 PM | Kandy |
| February 25, Wednesday | Sri Lanka vs New Zealand | 7:00 PM | Premadasa, Colombo |
| February 26, Thursday | South Africa vs West Indies | 3:00 PM | Ahmedabad |
| February 26, Thursday | India vs Zimbabwe | 7:00 PM | Chennai |
| February 27, Friday | England vs New Zealand | 7:00 PM | Premadasa, Colombo |
| February 28, Saturday | Sri Lanka vs Y4 | 7:00 PM | Kandy |
| March 1, Sunday | South Africa vs Zimbabwe | 3:00 PM | Delhi |
| March 1, Sunday | India vs West Indies | 7:00 PM | Kolkata |
Teams Eliminated from T20 World Cup 2026
While seven teams have secured Super 8 spots, 10 sides have already had their campaigns cut short. Nepal were the first team to bow out, failing to win any of their first three matches. Oman became the second side to exit the tournament.
Australia’s elimination was the headline exit of the group stage. They entered the tournament as pre-tournament contenders but managed just one win in their first three matches. Zimbabwe’s surprise victory over them proved decisive, and the washout against Ireland sealed Australia’s fate.
Afghanistan, who reached the semi-finals in 2024, also fell short this time. Defeats to New Zealand and a heartbreaking super over loss against South Africa ended their hopes in Group D’s tough competition.
Teams Eliminated from T20 World Cup 2026 League Stage
- Nepal
- Oman
- Namibia
- Ireland
- Australia
- Scotland
- Italy
- Afghanistan
- UAE
- Canada
