ILT20 2026: Auction, Schedule, Teams

ILT20 2026

In this guide, you will find what the league is, the 2026 auction, the full schedule of 34 matches including the 15 games in Dubai, the six teams, tickets and how to get to a match at Dubai International Stadium.

What Is the ILT20?

The ILT20 is the UAE's own professional T20 cricket league. Six city teams play each other over four weeks, and each team mixes international stars with UAE players. Its full name is the DP World International League T20, after its title sponsor, DP World. A company called International League T20 runs the league, and the Emirates Cricket Board approves it.

New to cricket? In T20, the short form of the game, each team bats for 20 overs and the team with more runs wins. A match takes about three and a half hours, so a 6:30pm start finishes at around 10pm.

The season has two parts. In the league stage, every team will play 10 matches. Then the top four teams will go through to the playoffs, and this is how they work:

2026 will be the fifth season. Desert Vipers are the defending champions. They won their first title last season when they beat MI Emirates in the Final. These were the earlier winners:

• 2023: Gulf Giants
• 2024: MI Emirates
• 2025: Dubai Capitals

ILT20 2026 Auction

The ILT20 2026 auction took place on Thursday 1 October 2026 at the ICC Academy in Dubai Sports City. The league streamed it live on its YouTube channel, ILT20 Official (@ilt20official). Each team arrived with four players already signed and a budget of about US$1.3 million (about AED 4.8 million). In total, the six teams bought 109 players.

The most expensive players

Fazalhaq Farooqi became the most expensive player in ILT20 history. MI Emirates paid US$380,000 for the Afghanistan fast bowler. The old record was the US$260,000 paid for Andre Fletcher a season earlier. These were the biggest buys:

Two things stand out:

• Gulf Giants spent the most at the top end: they made three of the six biggest buys.
• A record for a UAE player: MI Emirates paid US$210,000 for Muhammad Waseem, the highest price ever paid for a UAE player in the league.

Who each team bought at the ILT20 2026 auction

The six teams bought 109 players between them. Here is every player each team bought, with the owner of each team and what it spent:

Some big names found no team. These four went unsold:

• Wanindu Hasaranga
• Chris Woakes
• Alex Hales
• Pathum Nissanka

Babar Azam's ILT20 team and price

Babar Azam will play for Desert Vipers in ILT20 2026. The Vipers bought him for US$80,000, which was his base price. No other team bid for him, and this will be his first season in the league.

The Vipers also signed three more Pakistan players at the same price: Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman. Five of the six teams have Indian owners. At the first ILT20 auction, none of those five bid for Pakistan players. Desert Vipers have American owners, and in 2026 they again signed the Pakistan stars without a rival bid.

The auction rules

These rules shaped the squads:

• Squad size: each team had to finish with 18 to 23 players.
• Local players: each squad needed at least four UAE players and one player each from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
• Right to match: each team could use four "right to match" cards, which let it keep a player from last season by matching the highest bid.

ILT20 2026 Schedule

ILT20 2026 will run from Saturday 21 November to Sunday 20 December 2026, with 34 matches. Evening matches will start at 6:30pm and day matches at 2pm, UAE time. All the day matches are in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, so every Dubai match will start at 6:30pm. The official site gives two different dates for the first match, and the section on the start date explains which one is right.

Here is the full list, with the 15 Dubai matches highlighted.

The matches will be at three grounds:

• Dubai: Dubai International Stadium in Dubai Sports City.
• Abu Dhabi: Zayed Cricket Stadium.
• Sharjah: Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The official ILT20 schedule also offers a calendar file, so you can add all 34 matches to your phone in one tap.

ILT20 2026 Teams

Six teams play in ILT20 2026, and three of them play their home matches in Dubai. This is where each team plays at home:

• Dubai: Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals and Gulf Giants.
• Abu Dhabi: MI Emirates and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.
• Sharjah: Sharjah Warriorz.

So if you live in Dubai, almost every match near you will have one of the three Dubai teams in it.

On 1 November, the official team pages listed between 22 and 24 players in each squad. That is more than the auction limit of 23 for some teams, because teams can add players after the auction, for example as replacements. For what each team paid for its new players, see who each team bought at the auction. These are the head coaches and the best-known names:

The official team pages do not name the 2026 captains yet. The official site has the full ILT20 squads, with a page for each team that lists every player and the support staff.

ILT20 2026 Tickets

ILT20 2026 tickets cost from AED 15 a match, and the Final starts at the same price. You can buy them on ilt20.ae, where the "Buy tickets" button takes you to the official ticket seller. You can also buy them on Platinumlist, where every match has a separate page.

1. Choose your match. Open ilt20.ae and press "Buy tickets", or search "ILT20" on Platinumlist. Each match has a separate page.
2. Press "Select tickets". Pick a ticket type. The cheapest tickets give you free seating, so you sit anywhere in your area. Only the Platinum Enclosure in Dubai has numbered seats.
3. Buy up to 10 tickets. That is the limit per person for each match. Every child aged 5 or over needs a ticket of their own.
4. Wait for the email. Your e-tickets will arrive by email 48 hours before the match. Show them on your phone or print them.

A few rules decide who needs a ticket:

• Children under 5: they go in free, as long as they sit on an adult's lap.
• Everyone aged 5 and over: they pay.
• Children under 15: they must stay with an adult the whole time, and staff may ask for photo ID to check a child's age.

Which match should you pick? Any evening in Dubai is a good night out, but four nights stand out:

Three ticket rules are worth knowing before you go:

• One entry only: if you leave the stadium, you cannot come back in with the same ticket.
• No resale: you cannot resell tickets.
• Refunds: if the organisers cancel a match before the toss or move it to another day, you get a full refund.

Going to an ILT20 Match at Dubai International Stadium

Dubai International Stadium is in Dubai Sports City, off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311). You will also see it called Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It holds about 25,000 people. Gates will open at 4:30pm, two hours before an evening match. For the opening match and the Final, they will open three hours early, at 3:30pm.

There is no Metro station at the stadium, so most people come by car or taxi. Here are your three options:

If you take the Metro, ride the Red Line to Dubai Internet City station and change there to the F34 bus. Many people leave at the same time after the match, so plan for a longer wait for buses and taxis at around 10pm.

What you can and cannot take in

The stadium checks bags at the gate, and there is no place to leave a bag you are not allowed to take in, so pack light. These are the main rules:

Three more rules apply inside:

• Prams: the stadium discourages them, so bring a baby carrier if you can.
• Smoking: you can only smoke in the marked areas.
• Betting: it is against the law in the UAE and is not allowed at the stadium.

Things to Know Before You Go

These are the questions fans ask most once they have their tickets.

Where to watch ILT20 live

The official site names Zee and its streaming app ZEE5 as the league's broadcast partner. It does not yet say which channel or app will show the matches in the UAE. The league also posts highlights on its official YouTube channel, @Ilt20official.

The opening ceremony

The opening ceremony usually takes place on the night of the opening match, which this year is Saturday 21 November. That is why the gates will open earlier, at 3:30pm. The organisers have not announced the 2026 performers yet.

Does ILT20 2026 start on 21 or 22 November?