The Hundred returns transformed, with private investment, three rebranded franchises and the competition’s first player auction reshaping its sixth men’s season. MI London, the former Oval Invincibles, open their title defence at home against Sunrisers Leeds, chasing a fourth straight crown.

England regulars are scattered across all eight squads, giving the tournament added relevance in a packed home summer before the play-offs bring the curtain down on 14 and 16 August.

The Hundred Schedule

Thirty-two group games run across four weeks before the Eliminator and Final on the closing weekend. MI London open at home, while local-rivalry double-headers, including the two London sides, Sunrisers against Manchester and Trent Rockets against Birmingham Phoenix, punctuate the fixture list.

(Source: ECB)

The Hundred Teams & Venues

Three sides carry new identities for 2026 after investors took control, though each keeps its home ground. The competition is played across eight venues, one per franchise.

• MI London at Kennington Oval, London (formerly Oval Invincibles)
• London Spirit at Lord’s, London
• Southern Brave at The Rose Bowl, Southampton
• Welsh Fire at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
• Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston, Birmingham
• Trent Rockets at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
• Sunrisers Leeds at Headingley, Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers)
• Manchester Super Giants at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester (formerly Manchester Originals)

(Source: ECB)

The Hundred Format

Each of the eight teams plays eight group games, meeting six sides once and their nearest rivals home and away. The side that finishes top of the table goes straight to the Final, while second and third meet in the Eliminator. Both play-offs fall on the closing weekend, with the Eliminator on 14 August and the Final on 16 August.

Two structural changes stand out this year. Squads were built through the tournament’s first auction rather than a draft, and teams may now field up to four overseas players in their XI, one more than before.

(Source: ECB)

Also Read

• T20 Blast 2026 Schedule and Live Streaming Guide
• England Men’s Cricket Team Squad List

The Hundred Outlook

The story underpinning everything is MI London’s pursuit of a fourth straight men’s title under a new name, having dominated as Oval Invincibles. New ownership, fresh kits and bigger budgets have raised both the profile and the pressure, and the rebranded Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester Super Giants will want to mark their new eras with silverware rather than sentiment.

For English fans the draw is the spread of international talent across all eight squads, from Jos Buttler captaining Manchester Super Giants to Harry Brook at Sunrisers Leeds, set against the overseas signings the auction attracted. With local-rivalry double-headers, a tight group stage and a winner-takes-most finish at the play-offs, there is plenty worth following before the title is settled on 16 August.