The International Cricket Council has started selling tickets for the semi-finals and final of the T20 World Cup 2026. But remarkably, it does not yet have clarity on where the last three fixtures — two semi-finals and the final — will actually be played.
Due to India’s ongoing geopolitical tensions with Pakistan, the two countries are co-hosting the tournament- India and Sri Lanka. As per the originally agreed plan, the semi-final venues were to be Kolkata and Mumbai in India. However, Colombo was also kept in readiness in case Pakistan qualified for the knockout stage.
Under the hybrid arrangement agreed between India and Pakistan for ICC tournaments, the Pakistani team will play all its matches in the ongoing T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. That means any knockout fixture involving Pakistan would automatically be shifted to Colombo.
If Pakistan do not reach the final four, the matches will be held entirely in India — specifically in Kolkata and Mumbai, as per the original allocation.
An additional complication emerged on Tuesday when the ICC clarified that if co-hosts Sri Lanka reach the semi-final, they too will play their match in Colombo — unless they are drawn against India. In that specific scenario, the match would instead be held in Kolkata.
The ICC announced the sale of tickets via a press release on Tuesday, February 24, stating that sales would go live at 7 PM IST. However, confusion surrounds the booking process because neither the ICC nor the fans know which four teams will qualify for the semi-finals — a factor that directly impacts venue allocation.
As per the ICC release, here is how the ticket booking process will function:
1. Semi-final 1 remains a floating venue arrangement. The match will be held either at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo or at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, depending on which teams qualify.
2. Semi-final 2 is scheduled to take place at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
3. If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals, they will play in Semi-final 1 in Colombo on March 4.
4. If Sri Lanka qualify and are drawn against any team other than India, they will play Semi-final 1 in Colombo on March 4.
5. If India are drawn against Sri Lanka in the semi-finals, then Semi-final 1 will instead be played in Kolkata on March 4.
6. The final is scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad. However, if Pakistan reach the summit clash, the final will be shifted to Colombo.
In effect, what the ICC has done is create parallel venue arrangements to accommodate multiple political and qualification scenarios.
Kolkata and Colombo will be kept match-ready for the same fixture, depending on how results unfold. Stadiums are being provisionally locked in, while fans are expected to commit to travel plans without knowing with certainty where the match will ultimately take place.
There appears to be little consideration for the logistical issues faced by supporters — many of whom would need to book flights, hotels, and local transport well in advance. Fans are being asked to plan around contingencies that are not of their making.
If a fan books a ticket for Kolkata or Ahmedabad and the match is eventually moved elsewhere, the ICC has promised a refund of the ticket cost.
However, that refund applies only to the match ticket.
If supporters have already booked flights, hotels, or other travel arrangements for a fixture that is later shifted to another country or city, those additional expenses will not be covered. In such cases, the financial burden falls entirely on the fan — not the ICC.
In attempting to navigate geopolitical sensitivities and qualification uncertainties, the governing body may have protected its scheduling flexibility. But in doing so, it has transferred a significant portion of the uncertainty and risk onto the very people it depends on most — the supporters.
