England tour of Sri Lanka 2026

England’s men’s cricket team will tour Sri Lanka in late January–early February 2026 for a comprehensive white-ball programme designed as preparation ahead of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The tour opens with a three-match ODI series starting on January 22 and transitions into a three-match T20I set that concludes on February 3, 2026. This arrangement gives both teams match practice in varied conditions and helps England finalise combinations for the global tournament.

The timetable has been confirmed through official schedules, with the ODIs scheduled between January 22–27 and the T20Is running from January 30 to February 3. Venues include major Sri Lankan grounds that will stage both formats, offering a mix of coastal and inland conditions that test seamers and spinners alike. The tour forms part of England’s wider 2026 itinerary of white-ball fixtures and provides a key block of competitive cricket ahead of the World Cup.

Tour Overview & Purpose

The series serves dual purposes: it provides England valuable acclimatisation to subcontinental surfaces ahead of the T20 World Cup, and it offers Sri Lanka high-quality opposition at a time when both boards are balancing international commitments. For England, the sequence of three ODIs followed by three T20Is allows management to evaluate players across both 50-over and 20-over formats within a compact window, while Sri Lanka gets crucial home games to sharpen combinations.

Fixtures and Venues (Confirmed Dates)

The confirmed windows and match counts are drawn from official cricket schedules. Below is a concise fixture table summarising dates and the expected venue cities.

Match-by-match locations may be finalised by Sri Lanka Cricket, so fans and travellers should verify venues closer to match dates. The venues listed reflect the standard hosting pattern for bilateral white-ball series in the country.

Broadcast, Preparation and Impact

Broadcast partners and ticketing platforms typically release details after board confirmations, and the tour is expected to be widely televised and streamed globally. From a cricketing standpoint, England will use the tour to finalise team combinations and give fringe players the opportunity to stake their claim, while Sri Lanka will aim to test bench strength and refine its white-ball core. The sequence of ODIs followed by T20Is provides a compact preparation block for both sides.

How Fans Can Follow

Fans should monitor official announcements for confirmed venues, ticket sales, and broadcast schedules. Travel packages and matchday passes are usually released closer to the series dates. With both ODIs and T20Is bringing different rhythms of white-ball cricket, the tour promises intense contests that will shape selection debates ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.