A major announcement has been made regarding the fourth season of Major League Cricket (MLC). This fourth season will be played from June 18 to July 18, 2026. Six teams will participate in the tournament, and a total of 34 matches will be played.
Sports News: The fourth season of Major League Cricket (MLC) will be played next year from June 18 to July 18, 2026. Six teams will participate in MLC 2026, and a total of 34 matches will be played, marking the largest schedule for the tournament to date. This move has been made in light of the growing popularity and viewership of this premier league of cricket in America.
Full Tournament Schedule
MLC has scheduled its season in June-July since 2025 to avoid clashes with other global franchise leagues such as the IPL, The Hundred, and CPL. MLC commenced in 2023 with just 19 matches. In 2024, the number of matches was increased to 25. From 2025 and now from 2026, this tournament has expanded to 34 matches. In Season 4, the league will again avoid schedule clashes with England's The Hundred league for the second consecutive year. The objective is to ensure a structured and competitive tournament for both spectators and players.
MLC CEO Sameer Grewal stated that Season 3 demonstrated the rapidly increasing demand for top-level cricket in America. MLC is attracting new fans and audiences. Our aim is to strengthen cricket in America and build relationships with new and existing commercial partners. Grewal further added that ACE (American Cricket Enterprises) aims to establish 10 international standard cricket venues in America by 2030. A plan to invest over 150 million US dollars is in place for this.
MLC 2026 Teams
MI New York won the 2025 title. They defeated Washington Freedom by 5 runs in the final, securing the title for the second time in three seasons. The six teams participating in MLC 2026 and their owners are:
- Los Angeles Knight Riders – Knight Riders Group
- MI New York – Indiawin Sports
- San Francisco Unicorns – Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayanan
- Seattle Orcas – GMR Group, Satya Nadella, and S. Soma Seagar
- Texas Super Kings – Chennai Super Kings, Anurag Jain, and Ross Perot Jr.
- Washington Freedom – Sanjay Goyal
MLC is planning to add two more teams to the league from 2027. Additionally, the possibility of expansion into Canada is also being considered. This move will be significant in promoting cricket in America and Canada and attracting new fans. However, although the dates have been announced, USA Cricket (USAC) has not yet clarified whether it has rescinded its decision to terminate its contract with the league owner, ACE.
