ICC unveils schedule for women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026

The second edition of the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy will take place from 12 to 25 November, with the exciting tournament expanding from eight to 10 teams, including five ICC Full Member teams for the first time as part of the ICC’s continued investment in the global women’s cricket pathway.

Full Members – Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe – join Associate Member teams – the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Karwan Sports and Seven Districts grounds in Ajman in the UAE.

The teams will compete in two groups of five before progressing to a Super Six stage, followed by the Final. The format was approved following a recommendation from the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee and confirmation by the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee, as part of the ICC’s broader efforts to strengthen the women’s cricket pathway.

Group A: Ireland, PNG, Scotland, Sri Lanka and the UAE

Group B: Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Thailand and Zimbabwe

The expansion in the number of participating teams reflects the ICC’s commitment to strengthening opportunities for teams across the women’s game. The competition brings together five Full Members and five Associate Members, providing players with increased opportunities to compete against a wider range of international opposition.

ICC General Manager – Events and Cricket Operations, Gaurav Saxena said: “The expansion of the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy to 10 teams is an important step in providing more meaningful international competition for emerging teams and supporting the continued growth of women’s cricket.

“Bringing together five Full Members and five Associate Members will create valuable opportunities for players to test themselves against a wider range of opposition and gain experience in a high-performance environment. We look forward to welcoming the participating teams to Ajman for the second edition of the tournament.”

The tournament builds on the inaugural edition in 2025, when Thailand claimed the title on home soil after finishing level on points with Scotland, the Netherlands and the UAE, with net run rate determining the final standings.

The inaugural competition also delivered notable individual performances, with several players making gains in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings following the tournament. These performances proved the value of providing emerging teams with regular opportunities to compete at a high international level.

Match Schedule

[Timings are local UAE time]