# 2026 International League T20
The 2026 [International League T20](https://www.edgepedia.org/international-league-t20) (Season 5 of the DP World ILT20) is the fifth edition of the [United Arab Emirates](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-arab-emirates)' franchise Twenty20 cricket league, played by six teams in 34 matches from 21 November to 20 December 2026 across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.[1](https://www.isportsleague.com/ilt20/) The league is run by the Emirates Cricket Board with [DP World](https://www.edgepedia.org/dp-world) as title sponsor and Zee as its broadcast partner, showing the season in India on its television channels and the ZEE5 app.[1](https://www.isportsleague.com/ilt20/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition | Season 5 (2026–27) of the DP World International League T20[1](https://www.isportsleague.com/ilt20/) |
| Dates | Saturday 21 November to Sunday 20 December 2026; 34 matches in 30 days[1](https://www.isportsleague.com/ilt20/) |
| Teams and venues | Six franchises playing at Dubai International Stadium, Zayed Cricket Stadium (Abu Dhabi) and Sharjah Cricket Stadium[1](https://www.isportsleague.com/ilt20/) |
| Defending champion | Desert Vipers, who beat MI Emirates by 46 runs in the Season 4 final on 4 January 2026[2](https://www.standardpost.in/media/2026-04/april_14_2026_sp_vskp.pdf) |
| Auction | Held in Dubai on 1 October 2026; more than 800 players from 20 countries registered, with around 200 expected on the final shortlist[3](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/12037/international-league-t20-2026/news) |
| Record signing | Fazalhaq Farooqi to MI Emirates for $380,000, the highest price in league history[4](https://internationaleaguet20.com/schedule/) |
| Squad rules | Nine overseas players per XI, one of whom must be from an associate country, with two places for UAE players; Season 5 squads must include four Afghanistan players and one Irish player[5](https://www.arabnews.com/cricket/the-perils-of-comparing-t20-franchise-cricket-leagues-2631858) • [3](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/12037/international-league-t20-2026/news) |
| Salary cap | $2.5 million per franchise in the first three seasons, reduced to $2 million plus $250,000 for two wildcards from the fourth edition[5](https://www.arabnews.com/cricket/the-perils-of-comparing-t20-franchise-cricket-leagues-2631858) |
## Format and schedule
The season opens on Saturday 21 November 2026, when defending champions Desert Vipers play MI Emirates at Dubai International Stadium, a rematch of the [Season](https://www.edgepedia.org/season-sports) 4 final.[1](https://www.isportsleague.com/ilt20/) The league stage consists of 30 matches, with each team playing the other five twice, and runs from 21 November to 14 December.[4](https://internationaleaguet20.com/schedule/) Six days carry double headers, with the first match starting at 2:00pm UAE time and the second at 6:30pm.[4](https://internationaleaguet20.com/schedule/)
The top four teams after the league stage reach the playoffs, which begin on 16 December. Qualifier 1 (first v second) is played in [Abu Dhabi](https://www.edgepedia.org/abu-dhabi), the Eliminator (third v fourth) in Dubai, and Qualifier 2 in Sharjah, with the top two teams retaining two chances to reach the final. The final is on Sunday 20 December 2026 at Dubai International Stadium.[4](https://internationaleaguet20.com/schedule/)
**Venue split.** Dubai International Stadium (25,000 seats) hosts 15 of the 34 matches, including the opener and the final; Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi (20,000) hosts 11, including Qualifier 1; and [Sharjah Cricket Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/sharjah-cricket-stadium) (about 16,000) hosts 8, including Qualifier 2.[6](https://internationaleaguet20.com/blog/ilt20-grounds-guide/) Tickets are sold through Platinumlist from AED 20 for adults, or AED 10 for children aged 5 to 16, with under-5s free on an adult's lap.[6](https://internationaleaguet20.com/blog/ilt20-grounds-guide/)
## Auction and player movement
[The Season](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-season) 5 player auction took place in Dubai on 1 October 2026, after more than 800 players from 20 countries registered and around 200 were expected to make the final shortlist.[3](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/12037/international-league-t20-2026/news) Fazalhaq Farooqi became the most expensive player in league history when MI Emirates bought him for $380,000, and Muhammad Waseem set the record for a UAE player at $210,000.[4](https://internationaleaguet20.com/schedule/) [Babar Azam](https://www.edgepedia.org/babar-azam) makes his ILT20 debut this season after Desert Vipers bought him for $80,000.[4](https://internationaleaguet20.com/schedule/)
Other headline names in the season include [Nicholas Pooran](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicholas-pooran), Rashid Khan, Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone and [Faf du Plessis](https://www.edgepedia.org/faf-du-plessis).[1](https://www.isportsleague.com/ilt20/) David Miller and [Heinrich Klaasen](https://www.edgepedia.org/heinrich-klaasen) enrolled for the UAE league after an overlap of the scheduling windows with South Africa's SA20 was averted for the coming season.[3](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/12037/international-league-t20-2026/news)
## Squad composition and associate-player rules
The ILT20 allows nine overseas players in its playing XI, one of whom must be from an associate nation, with the other two places mandated for UAE players.[5](https://www.arabnews.com/cricket/the-perils-of-comparing-t20-franchise-cricket-leagues-2631858) Ahead of the fifth season, organizers directed that every squad include four Afghanistan players and one Irish player.[3](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/12037/international-league-t20-2026/news)
The league also runs a Development Tournament as a talent pathway; Gulf Giants Development won the fourth edition in 2026, defeating Desert Vipers Development in the final, and Kuwait Falcons won the Kuwait-based edition.[7](https://www.ilt20.ae/news)
## Defending champions and league context
Desert Vipers entered Season 5 as holders after collecting their maiden trophy in the Season 4 final on 4 January 2026, a 46-run win over MI Emirates in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium; England all-rounder [Sam Curran](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-curran) led them to that first title.[2](https://www.standardpost.in/media/2026-04/april_14_2026_sp_vskp.pdf) • [8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c20djzddneqo) Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Sharjah Warriorz are the two current franchises yet to win an ILT20 title.[9](https://www.ilt20.net.in/winners-list/)
The season begins under a cloud for the defending champions: Cricbuzz reported that Vipers management has written to the organizers about plans to exit the league and has informed the other five franchises of its decision, with possible back-up from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.[3](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/12037/international-league-t20-2026/news)
**Commercial setting.** During each franchise's first three seasons, the league set a salary cap of $2.5 million, the largest such cap of any competition apart from the IPL, before the fourth edition lowered it to $2 million with an extra $250,000 available for two wildcard slots.[5](https://www.arabnews.com/cricket/the-perils-of-comparing-t20-franchise-cricket-leagues-2631858) Commentators note that the ILT20 depends heavily on overseas players and on a broadcast deal with an Indian TV company, and that it lacks the domestic talent base and attendance levels of South Africa's SA20; The Cricketer's 2026 ranking placed it eighth overall while noting that UAE players have begun to feature more, with a UAE player second in the most recent season's run-scoring and two UAE bowlers in the top four wicket-takers.[5](https://www.arabnews.com/cricket/the-perils-of-comparing-t20-franchise-cricket-leagues-2631858) For Season 5, the league named fast bowlers [Brett Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/brett-lee) and [Shoaib Akhtar](https://www.edgepedia.org/shoaib-akhtar) as tournament ambassadors.[10](https://www.ilt20.ae/article.html?id=dp-world-ilt-20-season-5-turns-up-the-pace-with-100-mph-legends-brett-lee-and-shoaib-akhtar)
## References
1. [ILT20 2026: Schedule, Teams, Squads, Venues & How to Watch, Sports League](https://www.isportsleague.com/ilt20/)
2. [Standard Post, 14 April 2026: DP World ILT20 Season 5 to begin on Sunday, 22 November 2026](https://www.standardpost.in/media/2026-04/april_14_2026_sp_vskp.pdf)
3. [International League T20 2026 News, Cricbuzz](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/12037/international-league-t20-2026/news)
4. [ILT20 2026 Schedule: Fixtures, Dates and Match Times, International Eagle T20](https://internationaleaguet20.com/schedule/)
5. [The perils of comparing T20 franchise cricket leagues, Arab News (Jon Pike, 5 February 2026)](https://www.arabnews.com/cricket/the-perils-of-comparing-t20-franchise-cricket-leagues-2631858)
6. [ILT20 Grounds Guide 2026: Capacity, Stands, Tickets, Getting There, International Eagle T20](https://internationaleaguet20.com/blog/ilt20-grounds-guide/)
7. [News & Top Stories, DP World ILT20 Season 5 Official Updates](https://www.ilt20.ae/news)
8. [ILT20: Franchise league moved forward for 2026 edition, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c20djzddneqo)
9. [ILT20 Winners List (2022–2026): All Champions & Final Results](https://www.ilt20.net.in/winners-list/)
10. [DP World ILT20 Season 5 turns up the pace with 100-mph legends Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar, official ILT20](https://www.ilt20.ae/article.html?id=dp-world-ilt-20-season-5-turns-up-the-pace-with-100-mph-legends-brett-lee-and-shoaib-akhtar)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Cricket › Cricket competitions and records › Seasons and editions › Years in cricket*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license