Cricket’s next growth story may not come from traditional cricket nations. It may come from countries where the sport is still finding new audiences.
That is the thinking behind a new partnership between the International Cricket Council and YouTube, aimed at expanding access to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The initiative focuses on making the tournament easier to watch in emerging cricket markets while introducing the sport to millions of potential new fans.
Live Matches for New Markets
Under the agreement, all official warm-up matches and the ICC Captains’ Carnival have already streamed live on the ICC’s YouTube channel.
Every match of the tournament will also be available live in selected territories, including Nepal, Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan.
In addition, audience development campaigns will target Malaysia, France, Italy, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand. Fan engagement activities are also planned in Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.
The opening match between England and Sri Lanka on Friday (12) will also be available on YouTube in the United Kingdom through Sky Sports.
Breaking Language Barriers
The ICC plans to offer local-language content and commentary to make the tournament more accessible.
Dedicated coverage will be available in Japanese, Bahasa Indonesia, and Thai. Full match highlights and on-demand content will also be available globally throughout the competition.
ICC Head of Digital Finn Bradshaw said the tournament offers a chance to expand cricket’s global footprint.
“The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 represents a significant opportunity to introduce new audiences to cricket and deepen engagement with existing fans around the world,” Bradshaw said.
“Through our collaboration with YouTube, we are making the tournament more accessible than ever before through live coverage, local language offerings, creator-led storytelling and enhanced discoverability across the platform.”
YouTube APAC Vice President Gautam Anand said accessibility remains a key focus.
“By opening access to emerging markets and introducing localised commentary, we are breaking language barriers and helping fans connect more deeply with the sports they love.”
Last modified: June 12, 2026
