The Hundred enters its sixth season in 2026 under a fundamentally different model. Private investors, four of them IPL franchise owners, have bought into all eight teams. The draft is gone, replaced by cricket's newest auction. Team names have changed. Salary caps have surged. What was once the ECB's experimental venture now sits at the intersection of English cricket tradition and global franchise power.
Whether you are new to the competition or a seasoned follower trying to make sense of the upheaval, this guide covers everything you need to know about The Hundred 2026.
What Is The Hundred?
The Hundred is a professional franchise cricket competition featuring eight city-based teams in England and Wales. Launched in 2021, it was designed to make cricket more accessible to new audiences with a simplified format: each innings consists of exactly 100 balls rather than the traditional over structure.
Bowlers deliver sets of five or ten consecutive balls from one end, with a change of ends after every ten balls. Each bowler can deliver a maximum of 20 balls per match. A mandatory 90-second strategic timeout gives coaches direct input during each innings. The result is a match that typically wraps up in around two and a half hours, roughly 30 minutes shorter than a standard T20.
Both men's and women's competitions run simultaneously, with double-headers a regular feature of the schedule. The women's tournament has been particularly significant in raising the profile of the domestic women's game in England and Wales.
What Changed for 2026
The 2026 season represents the most significant structural shift in The Hundred's short history. Three changes stand out above everything else.
Private Ownership Replaces ECB Control
In late 2025, the ECB completed the sale of equity stakes across all eight franchises, raising more than £550 million in total. The combined valuations exceeded £975 million. The ECB sold its 49% interest in each team, while the eight host counties had the choice whether to sell some, all, or none of their 51% stakes.
Over £500 million of the proceeds will be reinvested into English and Welsh cricket, including a £50 million commitment to grassroots development. The ownership model now mirrors that of other global franchise leagues, with private investors responsible for squad-building, commercial operations and brand development.
Auction Replaces the Draft
Gone is the player draft that had been used since The Hundred's inception. In its place, the competition held its first-ever player auction in March 2026 at Piccadilly Lights in London. The women's auction took place on 11 March, followed by the men's on 12 March.
Men's teams now have a salary pot of £2.05 million per season, while women's teams can spend up to £880,000, a 100% increase on previous seasons. The auction format allows franchises to bid strategically for specific players rather than taking turns in a set order, giving owners far more control over squad composition.
Increased Overseas Slots
Squads can now include four overseas players, up from three in previous seasons. This change, combined with the influx of IPL-backed investment, has attracted a stronger pool of international talent than the competition has ever seen.
A Complete Squad Reset
The transition to private ownership triggered a full squad reset. No player was automatically guaranteed their place. Instead, each franchise was permitted a limited number of pre-auction retentions and direct signings before the remaining squad slots were filled through the auction. This gave new owners the power to reshape their rosters from scratch, breaking up combinations that had been built through five seasons of the draft system.
The Hundred 2026 Teams and Owners
All eight franchises have new investors. Four teams are now backed by companies with direct stakes in Indian Premier League franchises, while the other four have attracted American and international investment.
MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles)
Owner: Reliance Industries (49% stake, £60m) — also owners of Mumbai Indians in the IPL
Home ground: Kia Oval, London
County partner: Surrey (51%)
The most successful men's team in Hundred history, having won three consecutive titles, now carries the Mumbai Indians branding. The rebrand from Oval Invincibles to MI London signals the global ambitions of the Ambani-owned Reliance group, who have built the most valuable franchise in Indian cricket.
Sunrisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers)
Owner: Sun TV Network (100% stake, £100m) — also owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL
Home ground: Headingley, Leeds
County partner: None (fully private)
The only franchise to be 100% privately owned with no remaining county stake. Sun TV's decision to purchase outright control makes Sunrisers Leeds unique in the competition's ownership landscape. Their women's team enters 2026 as defending champions.
Manchester Super Giants (formerly Manchester Originals)
Owner: RPSG Group (70% stake, £81m) — also owners of Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL
Home ground: Old Trafford, Manchester
County partner: Lancashire (30%)
Sanjiv Goenka's RPSG Group has established a multi-league franchise network, and Manchester becomes the latest addition. The Super Giants branding is now shared across Indian and English cricket.
Southern Brave
Owner: GMR Group (49% stake, £48m) — co-owners of Delhi Capitals in the IPL
Home ground: The Ageas Bowl, Southampton
County partner: Hampshire (51%)
GMR's involvement with Delhi Capitals gives Southern Brave access to one of the IPL's most established scouting and analytics operations. Hampshire retain majority control, maintaining a strong county link.
London Spirit
Owner: Silicon Valley consortium (49% stake, £145m) — featuring executives from major US tech firms
Home ground: Lord's, London
County partner: Middlesex (51%)
At £145 million, London Spirit commanded the highest price of any franchise, reflecting the premium of hosting matches at the Home of Cricket. The American tech consortium represents a new type of investor in English cricket.
Birmingham Phoenix
Owner: Knighthead Capital (49% stake, £40m) — also owners of Birmingham City FC
Home ground: Edgbaston, Birmingham
County partner: Warwickshire (51%)
Knighthead Capital's cross-sport approach in Birmingham creates potential synergies between football and cricket audiences in England's second city.
Welsh Fire
Owner: Sanjay Govil (50% stake, £40m) — also owner of Washington Freedom (MLC)
Home ground: Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
County partner: Glamorgan (50%)
Govil's ownership of both Welsh Fire and Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket gives this franchise a transatlantic dimension, with potential player pipeline connections between the US and Welsh competitions.
Trent Rockets
Owner: Cain International & Ares Management (49% stake, ~£40m)
Home ground: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
County partner: Nottinghamshire (51%)
A joint investment from two major financial firms, Trent Rockets' ownership reflects the growing interest from private equity in cricket as a commercial asset.
Key Signings from The Hundred 2026 Auction
The inaugural auction delivered drama, surprises and a clear message: English all-rounders are the most prized commodity in domestic cricket.
Men's Top Earners
- Harry Brook — £465,000 (Sunrisers Leeds, pre-auction retention). The highest-paid player in the competition and the centrepiece of the Sunrisers franchise.
- Jofra Archer — £400,000 (Southern Brave, pre-auction retention). England's pace spearhead stays with the Brave on a marquee deal.
- James Coles — £390,000 (London Spirit, auction). The 21-year-old Sussex all-rounder was the most expensive auction buy, a statement investment in emerging English talent.
- Jordan Cox — £300,000 (Welsh Fire, auction). Last year's tournament MVP switched teams in a move that underlined Welsh Fire's ambition.
- Tom Curran — £260,000 (MI London, auction). The experienced all-rounder adds depth to an already formidable squad.
- Adil Rashid — £250,000 (Southern Brave, auction). England's premier white-ball spinner commands a premium price.
- Joe Root — £240,000 (Welsh Fire, auction). England's greatest modern Test batter returns to The Hundred with a major deal.
Surprise Packages and Bargains
Perhaps the most eye-catching bargain was Ollie Pope, England's Test vice-captain, who went to MI London at his base price of just £31,000. In any format, that looks like a steal for a player of his quality.
Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan's gifted leg-spinner, was picked up by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000, a shrewd acquisition that adds mystery spin to their attack. Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram both headed to Manchester Super Giants, giving the team a strong South African core.
Women's Auction Highlights
The women's auction signalled a new financial era for the women's game. Sophie Devine (Welsh Fire) and Beth Mooney (Trent Rockets) each secured £210,000 deals, setting new benchmarks for women's cricket earnings in England.
England all-rounder Danielle Gibson earned £190,000 with Sunrisers Leeds, making her the highest-paid English woman in the competition. Eighteen-year-old left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman landed a remarkable £105,000 deal with Southern Brave, highlighting teams' willingness to invest in young talent.
Notable Unsold Players
Not everyone found a buyer. Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, England's Dawid Malan and South African quick Anrich Nortje were all left unsold, a reminder that the auction format creates winners and losers in equal measure.
What the Auction Told Us
Several themes emerged from the first auction. English all-rounders commanded the highest premiums, with franchises clearly prioritising players who can contribute in both innings. Youth was rewarded: James Coles (21) and Tilly Corteen-Coleman (18) both earned deals that would have been unthinkable under the old draft system. And the IPL-backed franchises showed no hesitation in spending aggressively, with MI London, Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester Super Giants among the biggest spenders across both the men's and women's auctions.
The Hundred 2026 Schedule and Format
The sixth season runs from 21 July to 16 August 2026, spanning 34 matchdays across venues in England and Wales.
Opening Day
The season launches at the Kia Oval on Tuesday 21 July with a double-header. Sunrisers Leeds Women face MI London Women in the afternoon fixture (2.45pm), before MI London Men begin the defence of their title against Sunrisers Leeds Men in the evening (6.30pm).
Finals Day
The competition culminates with Finals Day at Lord's on Sunday 16 August, where both the men's and women's champions will be crowned at the Home of Cricket.
Format Details
The 100-ball format remains unchanged for 2026, despite discussions around a potential switch to T20. Each innings comprises exactly 100 balls. Key rules include:
- Bowlers deliver sets of 5 or 10 consecutive balls from one end
- Change of ends after every 10 balls
- Maximum of 20 balls per bowler per match
- One mandatory 90-second strategic timeout per innings
- Up to 4 overseas players per squad (increased from 3)
Playoff Structure
A notable addition for 2026 is a reserve day for the Eliminator between the second and third-placed teams. This follows seasons in 2023 (women's) and 2025 (men's) where results were affected by washouts during the knockout stages.
How Does The Hundred Compare to IPL and T20 Blast?
With IPL owners now directly involved in The Hundred, comparisons between the competitions are inevitable. Here is how they stack up.
- Format: The Hundred uses 100 balls per innings. The IPL and T20 Blast use 20 overs (120 legal deliveries). The Hundred is roughly 20 balls shorter per innings.
- Match duration: The Hundred targets around 2.5 hours per match. T20 matches typically last closer to 3 hours.
- Salary cap: The Hundred's men's pot is £2.05m per team. The IPL's salary cap for 2026 is approximately £12m (₹120 crore). The T20 Blast has no formal cap but operates within county budgets.
- Overseas players: The Hundred allows 4 overseas players. The IPL has no cap on overseas signings but limits playing XI to 4 overseas. The T20 Blast allows 2 overseas players.
- Season length: The Hundred runs for approximately 4 weeks. The IPL spans around 8 weeks. The T20 Blast stretches across the English summer in a more distributed format.
- Ownership model: The Hundred and IPL now share a private franchise model. The T20 Blast remains county-run, with 18 traditional counties competing.
The Hundred occupies a distinct middle ground. It cannot compete with the IPL on financial muscle, but its concentrated schedule, prime summer window and now-shared ownership networks make it an increasingly attractive destination for international stars who want English conditions without the longer commitment of a full T20 Blast season.
The shared ownership between The Hundred and the IPL is particularly significant. MI London, Sunrisers Leeds, Manchester Super Giants and Southern Brave all have parent companies with IPL teams. This creates potential for shared scouting networks, coaching expertise and brand partnerships that could eventually mirror the cross-league relationships seen in football's multi-club ownership models.
For fans of the T20 Blast, the two competitions serve different purposes. The Blast remains the heartbeat of county cricket's white-ball season, spread across the summer and rooted in the 18 traditional counties. The Hundred is a concentrated, broadcast-first event designed to capture casual viewers and new fans during the school holiday period.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does The Hundred 2026 start and finish?
The Hundred 2026 runs from 21 July to 16 August 2026. The opening double-header takes place at the Kia Oval, and Finals Day is at Lord's.
Which teams have been renamed for 2026?
Three teams have been rebranded following private investment: Oval Invincibles became MI London, Northern Superchargers became Sunrisers Leeds, and Manchester Originals became Manchester Super Giants. The remaining five teams — London Spirit, Birmingham Phoenix, Welsh Fire, Southern Brave and Trent Rockets — retained their existing names.
Who is the highest-paid player in The Hundred 2026?
Harry Brook is the highest-paid player at £465,000 for Sunrisers Leeds. Among auction-only buys, James Coles commanded the top price at £390,000 from London Spirit. In the women's competition, Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney jointly hold the record at £210,000 each.
How is The Hundred different from T20 cricket?
The Hundred uses 100 balls per innings rather than 20 six-ball overs (120 balls). Bowlers deliver in sets of five or ten consecutive balls instead of traditional overs. Matches are approximately 30 minutes shorter than a standard T20. For a deeper look at cricket formats, see our guide to T20 cricket.
