The wait is finally over as The Hundred Men’s 2026 gets underway on July 21, marking the start of the tournament’s sixth edition. This year’s competition arrives with a fresh identity after major franchise investments and rebranding, while a significant 45% increase in the player salary cap has helped teams assemble stronger squads packed with international stars.

Running until August 16, the tournament will once again feature men’s and women’s matches as double-headers, allowing supporters to enjoy both fixtures with a single ticket on every matchday.

A new era for The Hundred

The 2026 season ushers in a major commercial transformation, with several franchises adopting new names following changes in ownership.

• MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles) now operates under the Mumbai Indians brand after Reliance acquired a 49% stake.
• Sunrisers Leeds (formerly Northern Superchargers) has joined the Sunrisers cricket family.
• Manchester Super Giants (formerly Manchester Originals) now carries the Super Giants identity.

These changes signal the beginning of a fresh chapter for England’s 100-ball competition.

Tournament Format

The competition retains its familiar structure:

• League Stage: Eight city-based teams will each play eight matches, split evenly between home and away fixtures.
• Knockout Stage: The team finishing first in the standings will qualify directly for the final at Lord’s. Teams placed second and third will meet in the Eliminator at The Oval, with the winner progressing to the championship match.

Title contenders

MI London enters the tournament as one of the strongest outfits under captain Sam Curran. With Will Jacks retained and an impressive bowling attack featuring Rashid Khan and Trent Boult, they will be among the favourites.

Manchester Super Giants, captained by Aiden Markram, boast a formidable batting order led by Jos Buttler and Heinrich Klaasen, making them one of the most dangerous sides in the competition.

Strong challengers

Sunrisers Leeds, under Harry Brook, combine aggressive batting with quality pace and spin. The squad includes Zak Crawley, Mitchell Marsh, and Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed, giving them plenty of match-winning options.

Welsh Fire, captained by Phil Salt, strengthened significantly during the draft by signing Joe Root, Jordan Cox, and express pacer Lockie Ferguson.

Potential dark horses

Southern Brave, led by Chris Jordan, feature experienced finishers David Miller and Tristan Stubbs, while the return of Jofra Archer further boosts their bowling attack.

Trent Rockets have assembled a balanced squad with Lewis Gregory leading explosive batters Tim David, Ben Duckett, and Finn Allen.

Meanwhile, London Spirit will depend on the experience of Liam Livingstone and Adam Zampa, while Birmingham Phoenix, captained by Jacob Bethell, will look to impress with a youthful squad.

Also READ: The Hundred 2026: Sunil Gavaskar hits out at Indian franchise owners for recruiting Pakistani players in their teams

The Hundred Men’s 2026: Complete schedule

The Hundred Men’s 2026: Broadcast and live streaming details:

• Unite Kingdom: Sky Sports and BBC
• North America (USA and Canada): Sling TV – Willow TV (sign up here)
• Caribbean: Rush
• Middle East and North Africa: Cricbuzz TV
• Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSport
• India: Sony
• South East Asia: Cricbuzz TV
• Pakistan: Tapmad
• Australia: FOX Sports
• New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ

Also READ: The Men’s Hundred 2026: Complete squad of all 8 teams after first-ever auction