The craze for T20 cricket is reaching American shores once again!
Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 is back with its fourth season, and the excitement among Indian cricket fans is through the roof. With several Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises owning teams in this league, MLC feels like an extension of our very own IPL but with an American twist that makes it entirely its own beast.
Whether you want to support the Texas Super Kings, cheer for MI New York, or watch the Los Angeles Knight Riders settle into their brand-new home ground, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about MLC 2026 with all the facts verified and corrected.
When Does MLC 2026 Start?
Mark your calendars! The 2026 Major League Cricket season officially begins on June 18, 2026.
Opening Match: The tournament kicks off with a blockbuster clash between Faf du Plessis’ Texas Super Kings and Sikandar Raza’s Seattle Orcas at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Tournament Duration: The action runs for a full month, with the grand final scheduled for July 18, 2026 — this time at a brand-new venue for finals cricket: the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in California.
Total Matches: A total of 34 high-octane T20 matches will be played across the season — 30 in the double round-robin league stage, followed by 4 playoff matches.
Format: Every team plays each other twice in the league stage (10 matches per team). The top four teams advance to the knockout playoffs, and the bottom two are eliminated.
A Brief History: Why MLC 2026 Matters
MLC was founded in 2023 by American Cricket Enterprises (ACE) and sanctioned by USA Cricket, making it the only ICC-sanctioned domestic T20 franchise league in the United States. The league has grown at a remarkable pace. Season 1 (2023) was played entirely at Grand Prairie Stadium and Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, with MI New York winning the inaugural title.
Season 2 (2024) saw Washington Freedom claim the championship in a dominant campaign under Steve Smith and Ricky Ponting. Season 3 (2025) was the most successful yet ticket sales jumped 53% year-on-year, 84% of buyers were attending MLC for the first time, and broadcast reach extended to 90+ countries. MI New York scripted a remarkable comeback, winning just one of their first seven games before beating Washington Freedom by 5 runs in a last-ball thriller.
Now comes Season 4 (2026) the biggest yet, with a new venue, a landmark signing in R. Ashwin, and the championship final moving to Oakland for the first time in MLC history. ACE has invested over $150 million into US cricket infrastructure so far, targeting 10 international-standard venues by 2030.
Which Venues Are Hosting MLC 2026?
MLC 2026 is played across three venues, each playing a distinct role.
Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium (Texas) is the spiritual home of MLC and has hosted cricket since Season 1. It hosts the opening leg of the tournament including the curtain-raiser on June 18 and also the final phase of league matches before the playoffs.
Knight Riders Cricket Field, Fairplex (Pomona, California) is the most exciting new addition to MLC 2026. Built by the Knight Riders Group, it is the official home ground of the Los Angeles Knight Riders and the first time any MLC franchise has had its own dedicated cricket stadium. It hosts seven league matches in the mid-season phase. Beyond MLC, it is also earmarked as the cricket venue for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, with ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta calling it “cricket’s home for LA28.”
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (California) is the biggest and most significant venue of MLC 2026. Oakland hosts a heavy load of mid-season league matches and for the first time in MLC history the entire playoff phase, including the Qualifier, Eliminator, Challenger, and the Championship Final on July 18. Previously, all MLC finals were held at Grand Prairie. The shift to Oakland marks a new chapter and gives Bay Area fans a chance to watch the sport’s biggest American showpiece right on their doorstep.
Which Teams Are Playing in MLC 2026?
The tournament features the same six world-class franchises from Season 3.
- MI New York (MINY) is backed by Indiawin Sports, the sporting arm of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Group — the same ownership behind Mumbai Indians, MI Cape Town, and MI Emirates. They are the defending champions.
- Texas Super Kings (TSK) are co-owned by Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd., alongside local partners Ross Perot Jr. and Anurag Jain. Grand Prairie Stadium is their fortress.
- Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) are backed by the Knight Riders Group, the same ownership behind Kolkata Knight Riders, with Shah Rukh Khan among the principal owners. MLC 2026 sees them play in their first-ever dedicated home ground in Pomona.
- Washington Freedom (WF) are owned by Sanjay Govil, an Indian-American entrepreneur and Chairman of Infinite Computer Solutions. The team has a non-ownership strategic partnership with Cricket New South Wales focused on player development they are not owned by Cricket NSW. Washington are the 2024 MLC champions and 2025 runners-up.
- San Francisco Unicorns (SFU) are owned by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan, with no direct IPL ownership tie. They are home to the biggest signing of MLC 2026: R. Ashwin, who becomes the first India-capped player to compete in the league.
- Seattle Orcas (SO) are backed by the GMR Group (co-owners of Delhi Capitals in the IPL) and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the highest-profile tech executive investing directly in any cricket franchise in the world.
What Are the Official MLC 2026 Squads?
MI New York
Captain: Nicholas Pooran.
International Stars: Kieron Pollard, Trent Boult, Rashid Khan, Romario Shepherd, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Corbin Bosch, Allah Ghazanfar, Tristan Luus.
Domestic & Draft Picks: Monank Patel, Nosthush Kenjige, Ehsan Adil, Sunny Patel, Rushil Ugarkar, Heath Richards, Kunwarjeet Singh, Tajinder Singh, Agni Chopra, Faisal Ahmadzai, Corey Anderson.
Texas Super Kings:
Captain: Faf du Plessis.
International Stars: Devon Conway, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Noor Ahmad, Nandre Burger, Akeal Hosein, Adam Milne, Donovan Ferreira, Wiaan Mulder, Hardus Viljoen, Rilee Rossouw.
Domestic & Draft Picks: Milind Kumar, Mohammad Mohsin, Calvin Savage, Joshua Tromp, Shubham Ranjane, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Smit Patel, Amshi de Silva, Abhimanyu Lamba.
Los Angeles Knight Riders
Captain: Sunil Narine.
International Stars: Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Shakib Al Hasan, Spencer Johnson, Alex Hales, Andre Fletcher, Colin Munro, Lloyd Pope, Jahmar Hamilton.
Domestic & Draft Picks: Unmukt Chand, Ali Khan, Nitish Kumar, Saif Badar, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Matthew Tromp, Carmi le Roux, Kartikh Gatepalli, Kristopher Ramsaran.
Washington Freedom
Captain: Steve Smith.
International Stars: Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, Rachin Ravindra, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Mark Chapman, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards.
Domestic & Draft Picks: Saurabh Netravalkar, Andries Gous, Obus Pienaar, Ian Holland, Mukhtar Ahmed, Amila Aponso, Lahiru Milantha, Yasir Mohammad, Abhishek Paradkar, Mitchell Owen, Nikhil Chaudhary, Asif Mehmood.
San Francisco Unicorns
Captain: Matthew Short.
International Stars: R. Ashwin, Finn Allen, Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, Haris Rauf, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Oliver Peake, Peter Siddle.
Domestic & Draft Picks: Hassan Khan, Brody Couch, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Hammad Azam, Juanoy Drysdale, Aakarshit Gomel, Mohammad Ilyas, Anirudh Immanuel, Saideep Ganesh.
Seattle Orcas
Captain: Sikandar Raza.
International Stars: Heinrich Klaasen, Shimron Hetmyer, Tim Seifert, Matthew Breetzke, Tanveer Sangha, Tim Robinson, Lungi Ngidi, Ottniel Baartman, Jason Behrendorff, Dasun Shanaka, Raymon Reifer.
Domestic & Draft Picks: Harmeet Singh, Cameron Gannon, Shehan Jayasuriya, Ali Sheikh, Ayan Desai, Rahul Jariwala, Shayan Jahangir, Jessy Singh, Sujit Nayak, Sharad Lumba.
MLC 2026 Opening Week Schedule (IST)
- Match 1 — Texas Super Kings vs Seattle Orcas — Grand Prairie Stadium — June 18, 06:00 AM IST
- Match 2 — Los Angeles Knight Riders vs San Francisco Unicorns — Grand Prairie Stadium — June 19, 02:00 AM IST
- Match 3 — Seattle Orcas vs Washington Freedom — Grand Prairie Stadium — June 19, 06:00 AM IST
- Match 4 — Texas Super Kings vs San Francisco Unicorns — Grand Prairie Stadium — June 20, 02:00 AM IST
- Match 5 — Washington Freedom vs MI New York — Grand Prairie Stadium — June 20, 06:00 AM IST
- Match 6 — Seattle Orcas vs Los Angeles Knight Riders — Grand Prairie Stadium — June 21, 02:00 AM IST
Playoffs Structure
The top four teams from the league stage qualify for the knockout playoffs, all hosted at Oakland Coliseum. The Qualifier puts 1st vs 2nd place, with the winner going directly to the final. The Eliminator puts 3rd vs 4th. The loser of the Qualifier gets a second chance against the Eliminator winner, and the two survivors meet in the Championship Final on July 18. As MLC 2025 proved, finishing 4th is no death sentence — MI New York did exactly that and still won the trophy.
Where to Watch MLC 2026 Live in India?
Live Streaming: Every match is available on the JioHotstar app and website across India.
TV Telecast: Linear broadcast via the Star Sports Network.
Match Timings: Matches broadcast either around 02:00 AM IST or 06:00 AM IST due to US time zones. Set those alarms.
The Big Stories Heading into MLC 2026
- R. Ashwin Makes History. The biggest headline of the season is Ravichandran Ashwin joining San Francisco Unicorns, making him the first-ever India-capped cricketer to play in Major League Cricket. The legendary off-spinner retired from international cricket in late 2024 after a decorated Test career. His last competitive cricket before this was in the TNPL in July 2025, and his arrival adds instant star power, priceless experience, and spin depth to the Unicorns’ attack.
- MI New York Hunt a Third Title. Nicholas Pooran’s side have won two of the three MLC seasons played. Their ability to peak at precisely the right moment is almost irritating for the other five franchises. With Rashid Khan, Trent Boult, Quinton de Kock, and Kieron Pollard alongside Pooran, this is a genuinely frightening batting and bowling lineup.
- The Final Moves to Oakland. Every previous MLC final was played at Grand Prairie. The shift to Oakland Coliseum brings a new city, a new fan base, and a coastal California atmosphere to the sport’s biggest American occasion. For San Francisco Unicorns, there is the tantalising possibility of lifting their first-ever title on home soil.
- Pomona: Cricket Meets the Olympics. The Knight Riders Cricket Field at Fairplex is not just an MLC venue — it is the planned cricket ground for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where cricket returns after a 128-year absence. Every MLC match played there this season is a preview of something historic.
Players to Watch
- Nicholas Pooran (MI New York) is the most dangerous finisher in the tournament. His 137* off 55 balls in the 2023 MLC final remains one of the great T20 innings ever played on American soil.
- Glenn Maxwell (Washington Freedom) brings his 360-degree stroke play to every innings. His ability to bat anywhere in the order and dismantle any bowling attack makes Washington a constant threat at every stage of the tournament.
- R. Ashwin (San Francisco Unicorns) is a newcomer to MLC but a veteran of everything else. His variations, reading of batters, and fierce competitive instinct will make every match he plays in appointment viewing for fans across India.
- Saurabh Netravalkar (Washington Freedom) is the software-engineer-turned-left-arm-swing-bowler who took the 2024 T20 World Cup by storm. He is the highest wicket-taker among USA players in MLC history and an icon for the Indian-American community.
- Heinrich Klaasen (Seattle Orcas) is one of the most destructive middle-order batters in world cricket right now. If the Orcas are going to challenge for the title, Klaasen will be at the centre of it.
- Finn Allen (San Francisco Unicorns) holds the record for the fastest century in T20 World Cup history — off just 33 balls. Retained by the Unicorns for 2026, he is their most explosive top-order option alongside Ashwin’s bowling.
- Rushil Ugarkar (MI New York) is 22 years old, American-born, and already the tournament’s most important homegrown talent story. He defended 12 runs off the final over of the 2025 MLC final — dismissing Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Maxwell in the process — to hand MI New York the title. He is the kind of player this league was built to produce.
- Unmukt Chand (LA Knight Riders) once captained India to the U-19 World Cup title in 2012. He moved to the USA, gave up his BCCI contract, and has become one of MLC’s most consistent domestic performers. His journey is one of the most compelling stories in American cricket.
Why Should Indian Fans Watch MLC 2026?
The IPL rivalry revival is real. Watching Texas Super Kings take on MI New York gives you the classic CSK vs MI adrenaline rush in a brand new setting — yellow jerseys vs blue ones under American skies. The squads overlap enough with IPL rosters that you will recognise almost every face.
Indian-origin heroes like Saurabh Netravalkar, Monank Patel, and Unmukt Chand are lead attractions. Their stories — of building cricket careers in America and representing their adopted home — resonate deeply with fans on both sides of the world.
This season is packed with historic firsts. R. Ashwin’s MLC debut. The championship final at Oakland. Cricket at the future Olympics venue in Pomona. These are moments that will be talked about for years.
And then there is the cricket itself — short boundaries, pristine batting surfaces, and some of the most explosive batters on the planet, all playing in a format where every ball counts. MLC matches go down to the wire. The 2025 final was decided on the last ball. This is the kind of cricket that makes you forget you set a 2 AM alarm.
Prepare your snacks, set your alarms, and get ready to witness cricket conquering America once again.
Lucky Raina is a complete cricket writer chasing corporate dreams by day and cricket stories by night. Once a promising Under 16 cricketer, life took him down a different pitch but the love for the game never left.
