ICC shocks everyone with record prize money for Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

The International Cricket Council (ICC) dropped a major surprise on Monday (April 13) as they announced 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 ever in women’s T20 World Cup history.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 becomes richest ever as prize pool announced

This time, the total prize pool has reached a massive US$8,764,615, which is 10% more than the last edition in 2024. Back then, the amount was around US$7.95 million, but now, with the tournament expanding to 12 teams, the prize money has surpassed expectations.

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The winner of the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will enjoy the biggest reward, taking home US$2.34 million, which is a huge amount in women’s cricket. Even the runners-up will get US$1.17 million.

The ICC also made sure to inform the semi-finalists that reaching the top four itself will be a big achievement by announcing the reward of US$675,000 for them.

And it’s not just about knockouts, as even in the group stage, every win will earn the teams US$31,154. All the participating teams are guaranteed to earn at least US$247,500.

ICC eyes record viewership and global impact for Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Making the announcement, the ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said he is happy to see women’s cricket growing so fast. He pointed out that more teams in the T20 World Cup and higher 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 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.”

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ICC Trophy Tour begins in style at Lord’s

Meanwhile, the ICC Trophy Tour officially started on Monday as the trophy was showcased at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground with a stunning light projection on the famous pavilion.

After the grand start in London, the trophy will now travel across different European countries like the Netherlands, Ireland, and Scotland to spark the excitement of the tournament and connect with fans. Following the European leg, the trophy will move across major cities in England next month.

The tour will cover popular public spots like Millennium Square in Leeds, St. Peter’s Square in Manchester, Bullring in Birmingham, Cabot Circus in Bristol, Guildhall Square in Southampton, and Trafalgar Square in London. The mega event will see 12 teams competing in 33 games.