Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the LPL organising committee have officially confirmed the dates for the 2026 edition of the Lanka Premier League. The tournament begins on 8 July 2026 with the opener at R. Premadasa Stadium and concludes with the final at the same venue on 8 August 2026.
What's new this year
The 2026 edition introduces several format changes informed by player and fan feedback from previous seasons:
- 24 fixtures across four franchises — 20 league-stage matches, a Qualifier 1, an Eliminator, a Qualifier 2, and the Final.
- Three venues — R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy), and Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium (Hambantota).
- Standardised 7:30 PM IST starts for evening fixtures to align with prime-time broadcast windows across South Asia and the Gulf.
The four franchises
Colombo Kaps, Dambulla Sixers, Jaffna Kings, and Kandy Royals return with substantially refreshed squads following the December auction. Captaincy announcements are expected within the next two weeks.
Tickets and broadcast
Public ticket sales open via the official LPL portal in mid-June. Broadcast rights for 2026 have been secured across Sri Lanka, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Australia, the UK, and North America — see the Watch page for the full list of regional broadcasters.
The tournament's official sponsor remains 1xBat. Additional partner announcements will follow in the coming weeks.
