Like the recent edition of the T20 World Cup, won by India, the 2026 edition also will see 20 teams compete for the coveted title, starting with the group stage followed by the Super Eight, the semi-finals and the final. The tournament is likely to be held in the February-March window unlike the previous edition, which was held in June in USA and the Caribbean. India already has several venues capable of staging the T20 World Cup matches. But will be sharing matches with Sri Lanka. However, as per recent reports, the new venue in Varanasi also could be ready in time to stage one of the matches in the next edition of the 20-over men's World Cup. "The stadium in Varanasi should be ready well before the T20 World Cup in India in 2026," a BCCI source was quoted as saying by Times of India, hinting that the venue will stage at least one match during the tournament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last year in September laid the foundation stone for the stadium, which is to be built near the Ring Road in Rajatalab area in Varanasi at a cost of about Rs 450 crores and spread across an area of more than 30 acres. The Uttar Pradesh government said it has spent Rs 121 crore to acquire the land for the stadium while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will spend Rs 330 crore on its construction. The spectators' gallery of the stadium, themed around Lord Shiva, would resemble the steps of the ghats of Varanasi. This will be Uttar Pradesh's third international cricket stadium after Kanpur and Lucknow. The Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow staged five matches in last year's ODI World Cup. The Green Park Stadium in Kanpur has also hosted World Cup matches in 1987 and 1996.