ICC announces record prize money pool for women's T20 World Cup 2026

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled a record prize money fund for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, with just 60 days to go until the tournament gets under way in England and Wales.

The total prize pool for the event has been increased to US$8,764,615 – a 10 per cent rise compared to the 2024 edition. 

This figure surpasses the US$7,958,077 shared among the ten competing nations two years ago, as the tournament prepares to expand to 12 teams for the first time in its history.

The winners will take home US$2,340,000, while the runners-up will receive US$1,170,000. Both losing semi-finalists will earn US$675,000 each, and every group-stage victory will bring teams US$31,154. 

All 12 participating nations are guaranteed a minimum of US$247,500.

ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta expressed his delight at the continued rise of women’s cricket and reaffirmed the governing body’s commitment to making the sport more global.

“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 said.

“The continued rise of women’s cricket through increased investment and opportunity reflects the growing influence and impact of female athletes on the global stage.

“With that same momentum building across every aspect of women’s cricket, this event is shaping up to not only set a host of new attendance and viewing records in the sports and media ecosystems but also leave a lasting impact on the wider socio-cultural landscape across the world.”

Alongside the prize money announcement, the official ICC Trophy Tour also begins today and will run across Europe in the lead-up to the competition.

The tour starts in London, where the trophy will be displayed at the centre of the square at the venue of the tournament’s final – the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. 

This will be accompanied by a dazzling projection of the trophy’s silhouette onto the ground’s famous pavilion.

From there, the trophy will travel to the qualified European member nations – the Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland – before embarking on an extensive tour of the host cities in England throughout May, building excitement ahead of the opening day on 12 June.

The tour will include visits to key locations with several opportunities for fan engagement, particularly across the host cities, including Millennium Square (Leeds), St Peter’s Square (Manchester), Bullring (Birmingham), Cabot Circus (Bristol), Guildhall Square (Southampton) and Trafalgar Square (London).