The Lanka Premier League 2026 (LPL 2026) will start on July 17, featuring a match between defending champions Jaffna and last season’s runners-up Galle. The opening game will take place at the SSC stadium in Colombo, which recently hosted its first T20I during this year’s T20 World Cup.
An opening ceremony will mark the start of the 2026 season before the match. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) initially planned for the tournament to kick off on July 10, but the start date has now been moved to July 17, with the final set for August 8. There will also be a reserve day for the final on August 9.
The SSC stadium will host five matches from July 17-19. Afterward, the tournament will move to Dambulla and Kandy and then return to Colombo for the knockout stages and the final at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
Player registration for the season opened on May 8 and will close on May 20. This deadline applies to all categories, but direct signings can occur until May 22.
Draft system returns for LPL 2026
The upcoming season will reintroduce a draft system on June 1, shifting away from the auction process used in the last two seasons. As a result, teams will not be able to retain players from previous seasons.
Each team must consist of at least 18 players, with the option to add two local players, bringing the total squad size to a maximum of 20.
To enhance local talent involvement, SLC has mandated that each team selects two local Emerging U-23 players, with at least one included in the starting XI. Additionally, there must be four overseas players in the playing XI at any time.