Provided are a user terminal, a radio base station, and a radio communication method that are capable of performing reception processing using the number of suitable MIMO layers for a downlink. The user terminal includes a reception section that receives a downlink signal from the radio base station. Furthermore, the user terminal includes a control section that assumes the maximum number of MIMO layers based on control information that is included in the downlink signal. In a case where the downlink signal includes first control information indicating the number of MIMO layers, the control section assumes the maximum number of MIMO layers based on the first control information.