The International Cricket Council (ICC) sprang a big surprise on Monday (April 13) by announcing the prize money for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. The mega event is scheduled to take place from June 12 to July 5 in England.
In a bold move, the International Cricket Council has increased the prize money to a record level, making the 10th edition of the tournament the richest in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup.
ICC T20 Women’s World Cup 2026 gets richest yet as prize pool announced
This time, the prize pool reached a whopping $8,764,615, up 10% from the last edition in 2024. Back then, the amount was around $7.95 million, but now, with the tournament expanded to 12 teams, the prize money has exceeded expectations.
Also Read: Breakup between Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant? GT captain likes ‘Chapri Pant’ reel on Instagram
The winner of the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will enjoy the biggest reward – taking home $2.34 million, a huge amount in women’s cricket. Even the runners-up will receive $1.17 million.
The ICC also made sure to inform the semi-finalists that making it to the top four will be a huge achievement and announced a reward of US$675,000 for them.
And it’s not just about the playoffs, as even in the group stage, each victory will earn the teams $31,154. All participating teams are guaranteed to win at least US$247,500.
ICC predicts record viewership and global impact for Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Making the announcement, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said he is happy to see women’s cricket growing so rapidly. He noted that more teams in the T20 World Cup and bigger prize money reflect the growth of women’s cricket globally.
Sanjog Gupta said in an ICC statement: “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.”
The CEO added: “The continued rise of women’s cricket through increased investment and opportunities reflects the growing influence and impact of female athletes on the global stage. With that same momentum growing in all aspects of women’s cricket, this event is set to not only set a number of new attendance and viewing records across the sporting and media ecosystems, but will also leave a lasting impact on the broader socio-cultural landscape around the world.”
Also Read: Bangaluru to host the final! IPL 2026 playoff venues revealed
ICC Trophy Tour kicks off in style at Lord’s
Meanwhile, the ICC Trophy Tour officially began on Monday when the trophy was displayed at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground with a stunning light projection on the famous pavilion.
After the great start in London, the trophy will now travel to different European countries such as the Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland to spark the excitement of the tournament and connect with fans. After the European leg, the trophy will travel to major cities in England next month.
The tour will cover popular public venues including Millennium Square in Leeds, St. Peter’s Square in Manchester, the Bullring in Birmingham, Cabot Circus in Bristol, Guildhall Square in Southampton and Trafalgar Square in London. The mega event will see 12 teams compete in 33 games.