Sky Sports to make ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 available for free
Sky Sports has announced plans to broadcast key matches from the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 free-to-air, aiming to attract the widest possible audience and accelerate the sport’s growth.
The tournament, hosted by England and Wales, runs from 12 June to 5 July 2026, across venues including Edgbaston, Lord’s, The Oval, Old Trafford, Headingley, the Rose Bowl, and Bristol County Ground. It features 12 teams in a group stage followed by knockout rounds, culminating in the final at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on 5 July.
Sky Sports will air the opening match – England vs Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on 12 June – free-to-air on Sky Mix via Freeview, as well as on its linear channels, Sky One, and the Sky Sports YouTube channel.
The final will also be available free-to-air on Sky Mix. Additionally, the group stage clash between Scotland and Ireland will air on Sky Mix, ensuring all three home nations’ tournament openers are accessible to everyone without a subscription.
All 12 group matches involving the home nations, plus the semi-finals and final, will be available to stream without a Sky Sports subscription via the Sky Sports app.
The move forms part of what Sky describes as a standout summer for women’s cricket, which also includes England’s historic first women’s Test match against India at Lord’s starting July 10, and the return of The Hundred later in the month.
“We believe this summer can be a defining moment for women’s cricket. By making many of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup matches available to everyone, we can reach new audiences, build fandom and inspire the next generation,” said Jonathan Licht, Sky’s Chief Sports Officer UK & Ireland.
“At Sky Sports, we’re not just broadcasting women’s sport, we’re a partner in its growth, working with the ICC and ECB to make these moments as impactful as possible.”
Building on record growth
The announcement builds on strong momentum. The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 delivered a record 20 million viewer hours on Sky platforms, the biggest women’s sports event for the broadcaster that year.
Overall, women’s sports viewing on Sky rose 25% in 2025 across more than 4,000 hours of live coverage, with Sky accounting for nearly 80% of all televised women’s sport in the UK.
Sanjog Gupta, CEO of the International Cricket Council, welcomed the initiative.
“This is a significant step by Sky Sports, our partner in the UK, and aligns with our strategy to widen access for fans across screens and stadia.
“Moments like this, where the sport is accessible to everyone, on any screen, are how we garner attention and deepen affiliation, grow the next generation of fans, and ensure women’s cricket takes its rightful place in national and global sporting conversations.”
