A new global franchise cricket tournament called the World Club Championship is set to launch in 2026, marking the revival of a concept similar to the long-discontinued Champions League T20 (CLT20). The new competition aims to be bigger and more inclusive, bringing together champion teams from the world’s top T20 leagues for exciting inter-league matchups.
According to a report from The Cricketer, franchise champions from leading competitions like the Indian Premier League (IPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), Big Bash League (BBL), SA20, and The Hundred are expected to participate. The tournament already has strong support from top cricket boards, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and ICC Chairman Jay Shah.
In an interesting move, the ECB has confirmed that it will send the champion team from The Hundred rather than the Vitality Blast, highlighting the growing popularity of England’s new format. ECB CEO Richard Gould said plans for the World Club Championship are close to final and added that a women’s version could also be launched in the future.
“That is on the cards. Without a doubt, at some point, there will be a World Club Championship for both men and women. That’s the next logical step,” Gould stated.
The format will likely mirror the original CLT20, which was launched in 2009 to feature top domestic T20 teams from different countries. However, the CLT20 was discontinued in 2015 due to poor TV ratings, lack of sponsors, and dominance by IPL franchises. Notably, teams like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings each won the title twice.
Since then, T20 cricket has exploded globally, with nearly every cricket-playing nation hosting its own successful franchise league. This includes competitions in India, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa, England, the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, the UAE, and the USA, which has seen a boost through Major League Cricket (MLC).
Recently, Guyana launched the Global T20 Super League, featuring teams like Guyana Amazon Warriors (CPL), Rangpur Riders (BPL), Lahore Qalandars (PSL), Hampshire (Blast), and Victoria (Australia), underlining the growing appetite for global T20 events.
With the T20 format thriving around the world, cricket boards believe the time is right to bring back a global franchise competition like the World Club Championship — this time with a larger, more diverse lineup and strong fan engagement.