The Hundred’s 2026 season runs from July 21 to August 16, opening with a double-header at The Kia Oval and closing with Finals Day at Lord’s. Every team plays eight group games before the top side goes straight to the final and the second plays third in an Eliminator. But the fixtures are only half the story this year. Three founding franchises enter the season under new names, and four of the eight teams now carry direct IPL ownership, changes that reshape what viewers are actually watching before a ball is bowled.
Three Franchises Enter 2026 With New Identities
Oval Invincibles begin the season as MI London. Northern Superchargers are now Sunrisers Leeds. Manchester Originals have become Manchester Super Giants. All three changes track directly to new ownership groups with IPL connections, even though the other five clubs, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire, kept their original names. Every one of the eight franchises has actually changed hands, though.
The Hundred 2026 Schedule Match Timings Venues
Group-stage cricket runs from July 21 through August 16, with every side playing eight matches before the knockouts begin. The competition still leans on its double-header format, pairing the women’s and men’s fixtures at the same venue on the same day rather than splitting them across separate windows.
Date | Fixture | Venue | Women’s / Men’s Start |
|---|---|---|---|
Tue 21 Jul | MI London v Sunrisers Leeds | Kia Oval | 2:45pm / 6:30pm |
Wed 22 Jul | Southern Brave v Welsh Fire | Utilita Bowl | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Thu 23 Jul | London Spirit v Manchester Super Giants | Lord’s | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Fri 24 Jul | Birmingham Phoenix v Trent Rockets | Edgbaston | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Sat 25 Jul | Sunrisers Leeds v Southern Brave | Headingley | 11:00am / 2:30pm |
Sat 25 Jul | Welsh Fire v MI London | Sophia Gardens | 2:30pm / 6:00pm |
Sun 26 Jul | Manchester Super Giants v Birmingham Phoenix | Emirates Old Trafford | 11:00am / 2:30pm |
Sun 26 Jul | Trent Rockets v London Spirit | Trent Bridge | 2:30pm / 6:00pm |
Mon 27 Jul | Southern Brave v MI London | Utilita Bowl | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Tue 28 Jul | Sunrisers Leeds v Manchester Super Giants | Headingley | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Wed 29 Jul | Welsh Fire v Trent Rockets | Sophia Gardens | 11:30am / 3:00pm |
Wed 29 Jul | MI London v London Spirit | Kia Oval | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Thu 30 Jul | Southern Brave v Birmingham Phoenix | Utilita Bowl | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Fri 31 Jul | Manchester Super Giants v Trent Rockets | Emirates Old Trafford | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Sat 1 Aug | Birmingham Phoenix v Welsh Fire | Edgbaston | 11:00am / 2:30pm |
Sat 1 Aug | London Spirit v Southern Brave | Lord’s | 2:30pm / 6:00pm |
Sun 2 Aug | Trent Rockets v Sunrisers Leeds | Trent Bridge | 11:00am / 2:30pm |
Sun 2 Aug | MI London v Manchester Super Giants | Kia Oval | 2:30pm / 6:00pm |
Mon 3 Aug | Welsh Fire v Southern Brave | Sophia Gardens | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Tue 4 Aug | Sunrisers Leeds v London Spirit | Headingley | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Wed 5 Aug | Manchester Super Giants v Welsh Fire | Emirates Old Trafford | 11:30am / 3:00pm |
Wed 5 Aug | Trent Rockets v Birmingham Phoenix | Trent Bridge | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Thu 6 Aug | London Spirit v MI London | Lord’s | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Fri 7 Aug | Birmingham Phoenix v Sunrisers Leeds | Edgbaston | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Sat 8 Aug | MI London v Trent Rockets | Kia Oval | 11:00am / 2:30pm |
Sat 8 Aug | Southern Brave v Manchester Super Giants | Utilita Bowl | 2:30pm / 6:00pm |
Sun 9 Aug | Sunrisers Leeds v Welsh Fire | Headingley | 11:00am / 2:30pm |
Sun 9 Aug | London Spirit v Birmingham Phoenix | Lord’s | 2:30pm / 6:00pm |
Mon 10 Aug | Trent Rockets v Southern Brave | Trent Bridge | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Tue 11 Aug | Manchester Super Giants v Sunrisers Leeds | Emirates Old Trafford | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Wed 12 Aug | Welsh Fire v London Spirit | Sophia Gardens | 11:30am / 3:00pm |
Wed 12 Aug | Birmingham Phoenix v MI London | Edgbaston | 3:00pm / 6:30pm |
Fri 14 Aug | Eliminator | Venue TBC | 2:15pm / 6:00pm |
Sun 16 Aug | Final | Venue TBC | 2:15pm / 6:00pm |
Money Behind Oval Invincibles’ Rebrand To MI London
Of all four rebrands, this one carries the most history behind it. Oval Invincibles won the men’s title three years running before Reliance Industries, the Ambani family conglomerate that owns Mumbai Indians, bought a 49 percent stake worth around £60 million. Folding the club into the MI network puts it alongside MI Cape Town, MI Emirates and MI New York, an expanding global franchise family.
The Rebrand At A Glance
Here’s the full picture of who owns what heading into 2026. Second and third in the group table won’t go home empty-handed either; they’ll meet in an Eliminator at The Kia Oval on August 14 for the right to play in Sunday’s final at Lord’s two days later. It’s a structure built for jeopardy, rewarding consistency over eight matches rather than one hot night.
Old Name | New Name | Owner | City |
|---|---|---|---|
Oval Invincibles | MI London | Reliance Industries (Mumbai Indians) – 49% | London |
Northern Superchargers | Sunrisers Leeds | Sun Group (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 100% | Leeds |
Manchester Originals | Manchester Super Giants | RPSG Group (Lucknow Super Giants) – 70% | Manchester |
Southern Brave | Southern Brave | GMR Group (Delhi Capitals) – 49% | Southampton |
IPL Ownership Reaches Four Of Eight Teams
The tournament itself opens at The Kia Oval on July 21, with MI London hosting Sunrisers Leeds in the traditional double-header, women’s cricket from 2:45 pm BST and the men’s game from 6:30 pm BST, with Sky Sports carrying every match live and the BBC offering free-to-air coverage alongside it. For anyone tracking The Hundred 2026 schedule match timings venues from day one, that opener is where the new era actually begins.
Do the IPL-style rebrands make The Hundred more compelling, or is this competition losing what made it distinctly English? Let us know in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the new team names in The Hundred 2026?
Three teams were renamed for the new season. Oval Invincibles became MI London, Northern Superchargers became Sunrisers Leeds, and Manchester Originals became Manchester Super Giants, while five other clubs kept their names.
When does The Hundred 2026 season start?
The season opens on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. A double-header at The Kia Oval sees MI London face Sunrisers Leeds, with the women’s match at 2:45 pm BST and the men’s at 6:30 pm BST.
Why did Oval Invincibles rename to MI London?
Reliance Industries bought a 49 percent stake in the club. The roughly £60 million deal aligned the three-time champions with the global Mumbai Indians brand, which already spans several other franchise leagues.
Where is The Hundred 2026 final being played?
Finals Day is at Lord’s on Sunday, August 16. The women’s final starts at 14:15 BST and the men’s at 18:00 BST, following the Eliminator at The Kia Oval two days earlier.
Which IPL franchises now own teams in The Hundred?
Four IPL-linked ownership groups have entered the competition. They are Reliance (Mumbai Indians), Sun Group (Sunrisers Hyderabad), RPSG (Lucknow Super Giants) and GMR Group (Delhi Capitals).