Cricket's ILT20 league has released the full schedule for its fifth season, confirming that Dubai International Stadium will once again stage the grand final.
The season kicks off on November 21, 2026, and runs through to the final on December 20. Across the league phase, the six competing franchises will play 30 matches in total, with each side facing 10 fixtures.
Hosting duties are split across three UAE cities, with Dubai taking the lion's share of 15 matches, followed by Abu Dhabi with 11 and Sharjah with eight. The six teams lining up this season are Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, defending champions Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz.
Once the league stage wraps up, the top four sides progress to the playoffs. Qualifier 1 is set for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, the Eliminator follows on December 17 in Dubai, Qualifier 2 is scheduled for December 18 in Sharjah, and the final will be played in Dubai on December 20, with a 6:30pm start.
One date fans are already circling is December 2, UAE National Day, which will feature a special double-header.
With the fixture list now locked in, supporters across the Emirates can start planning which matches to attend, and ticket sales are expected to ramp up in the coming weeks. Dubai's role as host of the climactic final once again underscores the city's growing status as a hub for franchise cricket, coming on the back of a season that has already produced several high-profile player signings and intense competition among the six franchises for silverware.