Tournament format and participating teams

The 16 participating sides have been divided into four groups, each containing four teams. Following the opening group-stage fixtures, the competition will move into a Super Six phase featuring two groups. The leading teams from this stage will then progress to the semi-finals, followed by the final.

India enter the tournament as two-time defending champions after winning the inaugural edition in 2023 and retaining the trophy in 2025. They will aim to continue their dominance in the age-group competition.

Group-wise team breakdown

• Group A: Defending champions India have been placed in Group A alongside Ireland, West Indies and hosts Nepal. India will face competition from three sides looking to make an impact in the early stages of the tournament.
• Group B: South Africa, who finished as runners-up in the 2025 edition, headline Group B. New Zealand, Pakistan and Samoa complete the group, setting up an interesting contest for qualification to the next phase.
• Group C: Australia, Bangladesh, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates form Group C. Bangladesh will have the advantage of playing at home, while Australia will look to establish themselves as strong contenders.
• Group D: England, Sri Lanka, the United States of America and Scotland have been drawn in Group D. All four teams will compete for places in the Super Six stage.

Tournament begins on January 21

The tournament will begin with four matches spread across two venues on January 21. Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host Bangladesh against the UAE and Australia against Nigeria. Meanwhile, the Mulpani Cricket Ground in Kathmandu will stage Sri Lanka versus Scotland and England versus the United States. These opening fixtures will mark the beginning of the race for a place in the Super Six round.

The remaining eight teams will enter the competition on the second day. Chattogram will host New Zealand versus Samoa and South Africa versus Pakistan, while Kirtipur will stage Nepal against Ireland and India against West Indies. The early fixtures will give all 16 teams their first opportunity to collect points and build momentum ahead of the next stage.

Venues and match timings

The tournament will be played across four grounds: the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram, Sylhet International Cricket Stadium and Sylhet District Stadium in Sylhet, the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, and the Mulpani Cricket Ground in Kathmandu. All 41 scheduled matches are set to take place during the day. Morning fixtures will start at 9:30 AM local time, while afternoon games will begin at 1:30 PM local time.

Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027, Full schedule