The Hundred 2026: New Trophy, New Kits, and the Players to Watch

Cricket’s loudest summer party is back. The Hundred 2026 runs from Tuesday, 21 July to Sunday, 16 August, with the opening match between MI London and SunRisers Leeds at the Kia Oval. This sixth edition arrives with a brand-new team trophy, fresh team kits for all eight sides, and three franchises wearing new names after a wave of overseas investment.

Quick answer:  The Hundred 2026 is the sixth season of England and Wales’ 100-ball franchise cricket tournament, run by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It features eight men’s and eight women’s teams, runs 21 July–16 August 2026, and introduces a new combined men’s-and-women’s “team trophy” plus redesigned kits across the board.

Whether you are new to the competition or you have followed it since 2021, this guide covers everything that matters this year: the format and rules, the new trophy and kits, the rebranded teams, the star players to watch, and expert predictions for who lifts the silverware.

What Is The Hundred 2026?

The Hundred 2026 is the sixth season of The Hundred, a 100-ball cricket competition staged in England and Wales and organised by the ECB. Launched in 2021, it was designed to be shorter, faster, and more family-friendly than traditional formats, and it pioneered running elite men’s and women’s teams under the same banner, at the same venues, on the same days.

Each team faces 100 balls per innings, and matches last around two and a half hours. The 2026 edition keeps that DNA but adds significant change: a first-ever player auction replaced the old draft, private investors now control all eight franchises, and a new collective trophy rewards clubs across both the men’s and women’s competitions.

In short, it is the same fast, accessible cricket fans fell for, with a more commercial, globally connected layer bolted on top.

Key Highlights of The Hundred 2026

Here are the headline talking points for the season at a glance:

• Dates: 21 July to 16 August 2026, opening at the Kia Oval and finishing on Finals Day at Lord’s.
• New team trophy: a combined award for performance across both the men’s and women’s teams, sitting alongside the existing two trophies.
• New kits: all eight teams unveiled redesigned 2026 kits at a launch at the Kia Oval, 50 days before the opener.
• Three rebrands: Oval Invincibles are now MI London, Manchester Originals are Manchester Super Giants, and Northern Superchargers are SunRisers Leeds.
• First-ever auction: the draft was scrapped; squads were built via auction in March 2026, with salary pots rising sharply.
• Broadcast: every match is shown live on Sky Sports, with BBC coverage continuing the free-to-air tradition.

New Trophy Launch Explained

What is the new team trophy in The Hundred 2026?

Voice-search answer:  The new trophy in The Hundred 2026 is a “team trophy” that rewards a franchise’s combined performance across both its men’s and women’s teams. It is awarded in addition to the existing men’s and women’s trophies, not as a replacement.

The ECB unveiled the new prize at the kit launch on 1 June 2026, with 50 days to go. The idea is simple but smart: every win in both competitions earns points toward a single “overall” standings table, with the team finishing top of each points table also handed bonus points. The franchise that combines the best men’s and women’s results lifts the team trophy.

Commentators have compared it to Formula 1’s Constructors’ Championship, where two drivers’ results combine into one team prize. It directly reinforces what makes The Hundred distinctive, men’s and women’s teams sharing one identity. London Spirit’s Jamie Overton praised the concept, noting that no other sport has united its men’s and women’s sides quite as effectively as cricket has through The Hundred.

There is a fan twist, too: the trophy had not been physically produced or named at launch, and the ECB invited supporters to suggest a name, with the winning choice to be confirmed later. The move also answered concerns from some players that new owners might prioritise men’s teams over women’s after the 2025 sale of franchise stakes.

New Team Kits for 2026 Season

Every one of the eight teams revealed new The Hundred team kits at the Kia Oval launch. Players including Tom Curran, Jamie Overton, Davina Perrin, Kate Cross, Sam Billings, Fi Morris, Phoebe Franklin, and Leus du Plooy modelled the new designs side by side.

The kit story reflects the new ownership era. Several IPL-linked teams shifted colours to align with their Indian parent franchises. Castore, England’s kit maker since 2022, supplies five of the eight teams; London Spirit and Trent Rockets wear Nike; and Manchester Super Giants drew criticism for an AI-led kit reveal. After the rebrands, five teams now wear blue, red, or a mix, both London sides, for instance, will play in blue. Fan-friendly touches featured as well: former Oval Invincibles supporters who bought replica shirts were offered a shirt-swap scheme to get the new MI London jersey, easing the transition into the rebrand.

Cricket’s loudest summer party is back. The Hundred 2026 runs from Tuesday 21 July to Sunday 16 August, with the opening match between MI London and SunRisers Leeds at the Kia Oval. This sixth edition arrives with a brand-new team trophy, fresh team kits for all eight sides, and three franchises wearing new names after a wave of overseas investment.

Quick answer:  The Hundred 2026 is the sixth season of England and Wales’ 100-ball franchise cricket tournament, run by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It features eight men’s and eight women’s teams, runs 21 July–16 August 2026, and introduces a new combined men’s-and-women’s “team trophy” plus redesigned kits across the board.

Whether you are new to the competition or you have followed it since 2021, this guide covers everything that matters this year: the format and rules, the new trophy and kits, the rebranded teams, the star players to watch, and expert predictions for who lifts the silverware.

What Is The Hundred 2026?

The Hundred 2026 is the sixth season of The Hundred, a 100-ball cricket competition staged in England and Wales and organised by the ECB. Launched in 2021, it was designed to be shorter, faster, and more family-friendly than traditional formats, and it pioneered running elite men’s and women’s teams under the same banner, at the same venues, on the same days.

Each team faces 100 balls per innings, and matches last around two and a half hours. The 2026 edition keeps that DNA but adds significant change: a first-ever player auction replaced the old draft, private investors now control all eight franchises, and a new collective trophy rewards clubs across both the men’s and women’s competitions.

In short, it is the same fast, accessible cricket fans fell for, with a more commercial, globally connected layer bolted on top.

Key Highlights of The Hundred 2026

Here are the headline talking points for the season at a glance:

• Dates: 21 July to 16 August 2026, opening at the Kia Oval and finishing on Finals Day at Lord’s.
• New team trophy: a combined award for performance across both the men’s and women’s teams, sitting alongside the existing two trophies.
• New kits: all eight teams unveiled redesigned 2026 kits at a launch at the Kia Oval, 50 days before the opener.
• Three rebrands: Oval Invincibles are now MI London, Manchester Originals are Manchester Super Giants, and Northern Superchargers are SunRisers Leeds.
• First-ever auction: the draft was scrapped; squads were built via auction in March 2026, with salary pots rising sharply.
• Broadcast: every match is shown live on Sky Sports, with BBC coverage continuing the free-to-air tradition.

New Trophy Launch Explained

What is the new team trophy in The Hundred 2026?

Voice-search answer:  The new trophy in The Hundred 2026 is a “team trophy” that rewards a franchise’s combined performance across both its men’s and women’s teams. It is awarded in addition to the existing men’s and women’s trophies, not as a replacement.

The ECB unveiled the new prize at the kit launch on 1 June 2026, with 50 days to go. The idea is simple but smart: every win in both competitions earns points toward a single “overall” standings table, with the team finishing top of each points table also handed bonus points. The franchise that combines the best men’s and women’s results lifts the team trophy.

Commentators have compared it to Formula 1’s Constructors’ Championship, where two drivers’ results combine into one team prize. It directly reinforces what makes The Hundred distinctive, men’s and women’s teams sharing one identity. London Spirit’s Jamie Overton praised the concept, noting that no other sport has united its men’s and women’s sides quite as effectively as cricket has through The Hundred.

There is a fan twist, too: the trophy had not been physically produced or named at launch, and the ECB invited supporters to suggest a name, with the winning choice to be confirmed later. The move also answered concerns from some players that new owners might prioritise men’s teams over women’s after the 2025 sale of franchise stakes.

New Team Kits for 2026 Season

Every one of the eight teams revealed new The Hundred team kits at the Kia Oval launch. Players including Tom Curran, Jamie Overton, Davina Perrin, Kate Cross, Sam Billings, Fi Morris, Phoebe Franklin, and Leus du Plooy modelled the new designs side by side.

The kit story reflects the new ownership era. Several IPL-linked teams shifted colours to align with their Indian parent franchises. Castore, England’s kit maker since 2022, supplies five of the eight teams; London Spirit and Trent Rockets wear Nike; and Manchester Super Giants drew criticism for an AI-led kit reveal. After the rebrands, five teams now wear blue, red, or a mix, both London sides, for instance, will play in blue. Fan-friendly touches featured as well: former Oval Invincibles supporters who bought replica shirts were offered a shirt-swap scheme to get the new MI London jersey, easing the transition into the rebrand.