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The Hundred 2026 Kicks Off as IPL-Linked Owners and Auction Reshape the Competition

Private investment, a record player auction and a raised overseas quota are intended to lift revenues and global interest in England’s 100‑ball league.

Overview

  • The tournament opened Tuesday, July 21 with MI London v Sunrisers Leeds at The Kia Oval and runs through finals scheduled at Lord’s on August 16.
  • In March the Hundred moved from a draft to a first-ever player auction that increased pay dramatically and set a reported salary cap of about £2.05 million for squads.
  • All eight franchises were sold to private investors late last year, with IPL-linked groups taking visible stakes and rebranding three teams as MI London, Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester Super Giants.
  • Teams may now field four overseas players in a starting XI and a new combined trophy will reward the franchise with the best aggregate men’s and women’s performance.
  • Broadcasting is in place across territories with Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV widely cited in India but some outlets still report FanCode involvement, and the auction-driven changes have raised questions about player workloads and the ECB’s relationship with global franchise owners.