The 16th edition of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is set to commence on 15 January 2026, with Zimbabwe and Namibia serving as co-hosts for the biennial tournament. Sixteen teams from around the globe will compete in the 50-over format, culminating in the final on 6 February 2026 at the Harare Sports Club. Australia enters the competition as defending champions, while India remains the most successful team in the tournament’s history with five titles. ICC U19 World Cup Winners List: Edition-by-Edition Champions, Most Title Wins in Men's Under-19 WC Ahead of 2026 Tournament.

ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 Tournament Format and Structure

The 2026 edition follows the refreshed format introduced in the previous cycle. The 16 participating nations have been divided into four groups of four teams each:

  • Group A: Australia, Ireland, Japan, Sri Lanka

  • Group B: India, Bangladesh, USA, New Zealand

  • Group C: Zimbabwe, Pakistan, England, Scotland

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

The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage, where they will be divided into two groups of six. From there, the top two teams in each Super Six group will progress to the semi-finals. Teams finishing fourth in the initial group stage will participate in placement matches to determine their final tournament ranking.

ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 Venues

This year's event marks a significant milestone as Namibia co-hosts an ICC World Cup for the first time. Matches will be spread across five primary venues:

  • Zimbabwe: Harare Sports Club (Harare), Takashinga Sports Club (Harare), and Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo).

  • Namibia: Namibia Cricket Ground and the HP Oval, both located in Windhoek.

ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 Team Captains

All 16 participating nations have finalised their leadership groups. With the tournament being co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia, the young captains will be under significant spotlight as they look to transition from youth prospects to future international stars. Japan Under-19 Fast Bowlers Hit Nets Running As Team Starts Preparations for ICC U19 World Cup 2026 (Watch Video).

Nation Captain
Australia Oliver Peake
India Ayush Mhatre
Pakistan Farhan Yousaf
England Thomas Rew
Bangladesh Azizul Hakim Tamim
New Zealand Tom Jones
South Africa Muhammad Bulbulia
Sri Lanka Vimath Dinsara
West Indies Joshua Dorne
Ireland Olly Riley
Zimbabwe Simbarashe Mudzengerere
Afghanistan Mahboob Khan
USA Utkarsh Srivastava
Scotland Thomas Knight
Japan Kazuma Kato-Stafford
Tanzania Laksh Bakrania

Where To Watch ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026

Global broadcast rights for ICC events are held by Disney Star. In India, fans can watch the live telecast on the Star Sports Network, with digital streaming available on the JioHotstar app and website.

In the United Kingdom, coverage is expected to be provided by Sky Sports Cricket, while viewers in the host nations of Zimbabwe and Namibia can follow the action via SuperSport. In the United States and Canada, Willow TV remains the primary broadcaster for all matches.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 10, 2026 02:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).