The Hundred 2026: Schedule, Auction, Teams, Format, Venue - All you need to know

The sixth edition of The Hundred is set to usher in a new era for England and Wales’ flagship short-format competition. With the introduction of the tournament’s first-ever player auction, fresh team identities backed by IPL ownership, and a packed double-header schedule, The Hundred 2026 promises to be the most high-profile season yet.

Scheduled to run from July 21 to August 16, 2026, the competition will once again feature eight men’s and eight women’s teams, with every match broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Venues for The Hundred 2026

Matches will be played across England and Wales, with iconic cricket grounds hosting double-headers throughout the tournament:

• The Kia Oval – MI London
• Lord’s – London Spirit
• Headingley – Sunrisers Leeds
• Edgbaston – Birmingham Phoenix
• Emirates Old Trafford – Manchester Super Giants
• Trent Bridge – Trent Rockets
• Sophia Gardens – Welsh Fire
• Utilita Bowl – Southern Brave

Every matchday will feature a women’s game followed by a men’s game at the same venue, maintaining the competition’s equal-visibility format.

Teams and new identities

The Hundred 2026 will feature eight teams each in the men’s and women’s competitions, with three franchises competing under new names following ownership changes:

• MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles)
• Sunrisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers)
• Manchester Super Giants (formerly Manchester Originals)

Each team will play eight group-stage matches, facing six opponents once and their designated local rivals twice.

The Hundred 2026 Full Fixtures

All times are UK & Ireland

Reserve Days

• Eliminator: Saturday, August 15
• Final: Monday, August 17

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First-ever Hundred player auction

One of the biggest talking points ahead of the 2026 season is the introduction of The Hundred’s first player auction, replacing the draft system used in previous editions.

• Women’s auction: March 11, 2026
• Men’s auction: March 12, 2026

Franchises were allowed to retain or directly sign up to four players ahead of the auction window. The shift comes following increased private investment across teams, mirroring player recruitment models seen in leagues such as the IPL.

Several high-profile names remain unretained and could enter the auction pool, including Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid, James Anderson, Amy Jones, Issy Wong and Sarah Glenn, ensuring strong interest from fans and franchises alike.

Tournament format explained

The Hundred continues with its distinctive 100-ball format, designed for fast-paced and spectator-friendly cricket.

• Each innings consists of 100 balls
• Bowlers deliver sets of 5 or 10 balls
• Teams change ends every 10 balls
• A strategic timeout is included in each innings

The league stage follows a round-robin system. The top team at the end of the group phase qualifies directly for the final, while the teams finishing second and third contest the eliminator.

Players signed for The Hundred 2026

Men

Birmingham Phoenix: Jacob Bethell (retained), Rehan Ahmed, Donovan Ferreira, Mitchell Owen

London Spirit: Jamie Overton (retained), Dewald Brevis, Liam Livingstone, Adam Zampa

Manchester Super Giants: Jos Buttler (retained), Noor Ahmad (retained), Heinrich Klaasen (retained), Liam Dawson

MI London: Sam Curran (retained), Will Jacks (retained), Rashid Khan (retained), Nicholas Pooran

Southern Brave: Jofra Archer (retained), Jamie Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Tristan Stubbs

Sunrisers Leeds: Harry Brook (retained), Brydon Carse (retained), Nathan Ellis, Mitchell Marsh

Trent Rockets: Tom Banton (retained), Tim David, Ben Duckett, Mitchell Santner

Welsh Fire: Chris Woakes (retained), Phil Salt, Marco Jansen, Rachin Ravindra

Women

Birmingham Phoenix: Ellyse Perry (retained), Alice Capsey, Lauren Filer, Lucy Hamilton

London Spirit: Charlie Dean (retained), Grace Harris (retained), Mahika Gaur, Marizanne Kapp

Manchester Super Giants: Sophie Ecclestone (retained), Meg Lanning, Smriti Mandhana

MI London: Melie Kerr, Hayley Matthews, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

Southern Brave: Lauren Bell (retained), Maia Bouchier (retained), Laura Wolvaardt (retained), Jemimah Rodrigues

Sunrisers Leeds: Kate Cross (retained), Phoebe Litchfield (retained), Annabel Sutherland (retained)

Trent Rockets: Nat Sciver-Brunt (retained), Ash Gardner (retained), Sophia Dunkley, Kim Garth

Welsh Fire: Freya Kemp, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham