Major League Cricket (MLC) returns for its fourth edition on June 18 with the same number of teams as last time, but introduces Knight Riders Cricket Field in California as the third venue with the LA Olympics two years away.
Before the fourth season begins, here is a quick Q&A to bring readers up to speed on the tournament.
What is the MLC?
MLC, or Major League Cricket, is the T20 league played in the USA. Organised by American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) and sanctioned by USA Cricket, it was founded in 2023 after receiving recognition from the ICC. The 2023 season was played over three weeks at two venues, expanding to three venues last season. MI New York are two-time champions (2023 and 2025), with Washington Freedom winning the title in 2024.
When does MLC 2026 begin?
The fourth MLC season begins on June 18 (June 19 in Indian time zone) and runs until July 18 (July 19 in Indian time zone). There will be 34 matches: 30 league stage and four playoff contests.
Which teams will play in 2026? Who are the defending champions?
Six teams will compete: Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom. MI New York are the defending and two-time champions, having beaten Washington Freedom in the final last year.
Where will the matches take place?
Three venues will be used: Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas, Oakland Coliseum in California, and Knight Riders Cricket Field in California. The Knight Riders Cricket Field replaces Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida. The Oakland Coliseum will host the playoffs and the final.
Is there an IPL connection?
Yes. Los Angeles Knight Riders, MI New York, and Texas Super Kings have connections with Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, and Chennai Super Kings, respectively. Seattle Orcas are owned by GMR Group, co-owners of Delhi Capitals.
Who is the biggest name in MLC 2026?
The biggest addition is former India spinner R Ashwin, who has joined the San Francisco Unicorns. He is the first former India player to link up with the MLC. Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in 2024, will play his first T20 competition outside the IPL.
Who are the other headline acts?
Key players include: LAKR: Alex Hales, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Unmukt Chand; MINY: Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Trent Boult, Romario Shepherd, Monank Patel; Unicorns: Matt Short, Finn Allen, Cooper Connolly, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Haris Rauf, Sanjay Krishnamurthi; Seattle Orcas: Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Tanveer Sangha, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman, Dasun Shanaka; Texas Super Kings: Faf du Plessis, Donovan Ferreira, Rilee Rossouw, Adam Milne, Keshav Maharaj; Washington Freedom: Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Rachin Ravindra, Saurabh Netravalkar.
What is the format for MLC 2026?
The top four teams after 30 round-robin matches qualify for the playoffs, all played at Oakland Coliseum. The first qualifier is between the top two teams. The Eliminator features the third and fourth ranked teams. The losing team of Qualifier 1 and the winner of the Eliminator contest the Challenger (Qualifier 2). The final on July 18 is between the winner of Qualifier 1 and the Challenger.
