The International Cricket Council has announced a 10 per cent increase from 2024 in the total prize fund for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be held in England and Wales this summer.
This year’s winners will win $2.34m (£1.74m) with the runners up taking home $1.17m (£871,024), the same earnings as the last edition, however all participating teams are guaranteed to receive a minimum of $247,500 (£184,245), more than double what was assured to each team in 2024.
It is just 60 days to go until England take on Sri Lanka at Edgbaston to kick off the tournament as they look to emulate the Lionesses and Red Roses with a win on home soil after going winless in the T20 World Cup since the first edition in 2009, also held in England.
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Relive the moment England exited the T20 Women’s World Cup 2024 as West Indies were jubilant, while Heather Knight was left in tears
“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,” said ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta.
“The continued rise of women’s cricket through increased investment and opportunity reflects the growing influence and impact of female athletes on the global stage.
“With that same momentum building across every aspect of women’s cricket, this event is shaping up to not only set a host of new attendance and viewing records in the sports and media ecosystems but also leave a lasting impact on the wider socio-cultural landscape across the world.”
While the winners and runners-up prize pot remains the same as in 2024, notably, there was a 134 per cent increase in prize money for the top two teams that year compared to 2023 when it was held in Australia.
When New Zealand took the top prize in 2024, winning their first T20 World Cup, the total prize pot for the tournament stood at $7.958m (£5.926m), but with the expansion to 12 teams the prize money has also grown to a pot of $8,765m (£6.528m).
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Highlights from New Zealand’s 32-run win over South Africa in the Women’s T20 World Cup final 2024 as the White Ferns claimed the title for the first time
The 33-match event will be held across 24 days in seven venues, with Australia, Bangladesh, India, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa and West Indies completing the line-up.
“The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be a landmark moment for the game – on course to become the most attended women’s cricket event in history, with record-breaking ticket demand and the largest-ever prize pot for a global women’s T20 competition,” said tournament director Beth Barrett-Wild
“That level of investment, alongside prize money that matches the men’s game, is a powerful reflection of the status, quality and global appeal of women’s cricket today.
“That same ambition is shaping how we build towards the tournament, with the trophy tour playing a key role in taking the game to new audiences, building excitement across England and Wales, and showcasing women’s cricket on the biggest stages as we count down to an unforgettable summer.”
Lord’s Cricket Ground will host the start of the trophy tour before it travels to qualified European nations and then visits the hosting cities ahead of the first ball on June 12.
Total prize money breakdown
Winners: $2,340,000 (£1,742,238.11)
Runners up: $1,170,000 (£871,119.05)
Losing semi-finalists: $675,000 (£502,568.68)
Group match win: $31,154 (£23,195.59)
Assured prize pot for all 12 teams: $247,500 (£184,275.18)
