ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2026 Kicks Off Today: Schedule, Teams, Venues & Live Streaming Details

The ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 begins today across venues in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Sixteen teams will compete in the tournament from January 15 to February 6, 2026. Three matches are scheduled for the opening day.03

India starts their campaign against the USA at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Zimbabwe face Scotland at Takashinga Sports Club in Harare while Tanzania take on West Indies at High Performance Oval in Windhoek. All matches start at 13:15 local time.

The tournament runs for 23 days across five venues in three cities. Australia won the last edition and finds itself in Group A this time. India finished as runners-up and will play in Group B. Tanzania got their first Under-19 World Cup call-up and entered the competition for the first time.

Tournament Format and Key Dates

Teams start in group matches before the playoffs kick in. After that comes the Super Six round. The groups determine which teams move ahead based on their wins and net run rate.

Opening Day Fixtures

Key Tournament Dates

The first semi-final took place on February 3 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The second semi-final is set for February 4 at Harare Sports Club. The final will be played on February 6 at Harare Sports Club.

Where the Matches Will Be Played

Five grounds are hosting matches during the tournament. Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo and two venues in Harare will host most games. Harare Sports Club and Takashinga Sports Club are the main grounds in the capital city.

Namibia is co-hosting the event with matches at the High Performance Oval and Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek. This marks the first time Namibia is hosting an ICC tournament. The country won the rights to co-host alongside Zimbabwe.

Teams and Groups

Sixteen nations qualified for the tournament, split into four groups. Group A includes Australia, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and one other team. India leads Group B along with Bangladesh, Ireland, and another qualifier.

The other groups have England, South Africa, Afghanistan, and the West Indies split across them. New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Scotland, the USA, Japan, and Tanzania fill out the remaining spots.Sri Lanka brought in young guns who did well in their domestic setup recently.

India’s Opening Match

India meets the USA in their opening game today at Queens Sports Club. The Americans came through the Americas qualifiers and wanted to pull off a surprise. India lifted the trophy five times before and made it to the final two years ago.

The Indian boys showed good form in their age-group games back home. Many got chances in recent junior tournaments. They need a good start against the USA before facing stronger teams later.

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How to Watch

Star Sports has all the matches on TV for Indian viewers. Disney+ Hotstar lets you stream every game online if you like watching on your phone or laptop. Match timings in India change based on where the game is being played.

UK fans can tune into Sky Sports while SuperSport shows the games across Africa. Willow TV got the rights for people in the United States and Canada. Check ICC TV or your local cricket channel if you live somewhere else.

Young players get to show what they can do at this tournament. Plenty of big names today first got noticed playing U19 cricket. National selectors watch these games to spot the next generation of stars. Scouts from various countries will be watching closely for future talent.

Zimbabwe last hosted an ICC event several years ago. The country put effort into upgrading facilities at Harare Sports Club and Queens Sports Club. Namibia improved its cricket infrastructure to meet ICC standards for hosting international matches.

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