The Hundred 2026 at a glance
The official schedule opens at the Kia Oval on 21 July and closes at Lord’s 26 days later. Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, SunRisers Leeds, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire are the eight 2026 identities. The group programme uses the eight regular home grounds, with women’s and men’s fixtures paired at the same venue on most matchdays. Sky Sports carries all 68 matches in the United Kingdom. The BBC package includes live television or iPlayer coverage for 16 matches, ball-by-ball audio for all matches through BBC Sounds, and further radio coverage through BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra. International rights differ by territory. The organizer lists Fox Sports in Australia, Sony in India, Tapmad in Pakistan, Willow TV in North America and other named partners, but viewers still need the correct subscription and local listing.
Eight new-look team identities
The 2026 field looks familiar on a map and different on a scorecard. Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire retain their established public names. Manchester Originals became Manchester Super Giants, Oval Invincibles became MI London, and Northern Superchargers became SunRisers Leeds. The women’s and men’s sides share each identity but remain separate competitions with separate squads, tables and champions. The opening fixture illustrates the change: the defending women’s champions appear as SunRisers Leeds, while the defending men’s champions appear as MI London. Readers following an older player profile or ticket email may encounter a previous name. A current article should explain the link without mixing records across identities or assuming that a player remained after the 2026 auction and wildcard process. The official squad page and match-day team sheet settle current selection.
How 68 matches fit into 34 matchdays
Sixty-eight matches means 34 in the women’s competition and 34 in the men’s competition. Each competition has 32 group games, one Eliminator and one Final. Each team therefore plays eight group matches. The paired schedule creates 34 matchdays because a women’s match and a men’s match usually follow one another at the same ground. Some calendar dates contain two double-headers at different venues, which is why the competition can stage 34 matchdays inside a 27-day window. The format reduces travel and gives one ticketed event two elite matches, subject to the ticket terms for that fixture. It does not merge the competitions: points from a women’s game never affect the men’s table. Weather can also produce different outcomes in the two matches at one venue. A guide should report each result and qualification position in its proper competition.
The 100-ball rules
Each innings lasts 100 balls. The fielding side changes ends after ten balls, rather than after the six-ball over used in most forms of cricket. A bowler can deliver five or ten consecutive balls, with the captain deciding whether the same bowler completes the full ten. No bowler can deliver more than 20 balls in the match. Each batting side receives a 25-ball powerplay, during which only two fielders may stand outside the initial 30-yard circle. The official rules allocate four points for a win, two to each team for a tie and two to each team when weather or another circumstance prevents a result. The rules page also provides a strategic timeout for the bowling side. These details explain why score graphics count balls and sets rather than displaying a conventional over number alone. A 65-ball score describes 65 legal deliveries, not 10.5 six-ball overs.
The eight home venues
The eight home grounds connect each identity to an established cricket venue. Birmingham Phoenix play at Edgbaston. London Spirit use Lord’s, Manchester Super Giants use Emirates Old Trafford, MI London use the Kia Oval, Southern Brave use Utilita Bowl, SunRisers Leeds use Headingley, Trent Rockets use Trent Bridge, and Welsh Fire use Sophia Gardens. Two London teams therefore operate at different grounds. The schedule starts at the Oval but sends MI London to other venues as part of the group stage, just as every team has home and away assignments. The official fixture page publishes separate women’s and men’s start times. Early matches can begin before noon, while the second game of a double-header often falls in the afternoon or evening. Supporters should confirm gates, permitted items, accessibility arrangements and digital ticket requirements with the venue or ticket account before travelling.
The route to the Eliminator and Final
Group positions decide four places on finals weekend: the top women’s side and top men’s side advance straight to their respective finals, while the teams finishing second and third contest the Eliminators. The 2026 Eliminator is scheduled at the Kia Oval on Friday 14 August, with the women at 2:15pm and men at 6pm in the published ticket information. Lord’s stages the finals on Sunday 16 August at the same listed times. The fourth-placed team does not enter the knockout stage. A tied points total requires the competition’s official tie-break procedure, so a table should not declare qualification from points alone when net run rate or another rule remains relevant. The venue announcement supersedes the early fixture article’s TBC placeholder for the two knockout days. This is a useful example of why later official notices must update an evergreen guide.
UK television, radio and digital coverage
UK viewers have several authorized ways to follow the season. Sky Sports Cricket shows every match, and the organizer says coverage normally starts about 15 minutes before the scheduled first ball. Sky also makes a selection available through its YouTube channel. BBC Two and BBC iPlayer carry 16 matches across eight double-headers, including the opening day, selected group dates and both finals. BBC Sounds provides ball-by-ball audio commentary for all 68 matches, supported by coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra. The Hundred website and app publish scorecards, clips and highlights. Access still depends on the provider’s terms, device support and the viewer’s location. A free clip, radio stream or YouTube match should not be described as a universal free broadcast unless the rights notice says it is available in that territory.
Official international broadcasters
The Hundred’s official international list names Fox Sports for Australia, Rush for the Caribbean, Sony for India, Cricbuzz TV for the Middle East and North Africa, Sky Sport for New Zealand, Willow TV for North America, Tapmad for Pakistan, Cricbuzz TV for Southeast Asia and SuperSport for sub-Saharan Africa. Rights are territorial and can sit behind a subscription. “North America” may cover more than one country through a provider, but package availability can still differ between the United States and Canada. The organizer’s list is stronger evidence than an unofficial streaming directory, yet viewers should check the provider’s current schedule for the specific match. StumpScope records the season and checked date beside a broadcaster entry so a 2026 agreement does not stay visible as an undated promise for 2027. The site does not promote pirated feeds or tools intended to bypass territorial restrictions.
Tickets and match-day checks
The Hundred uses digital ticket accounts tied to the team or knockout event. The organizer’s ticket guide lists adult early prices from £14 and tickets for ages three to fifteen at £5, with children aged two and under admitted free under the published offer. Those figures describe the organizer’s 2026 sales information, not a guarantee that the lowest band remains available for a chosen match. Finals and popular weekend dates can sell faster. A buyer should open the official team ticket account, confirm the ground, date, women’s and men’s start times, seat or admission category, refund terms and any age conditions. The Hundred app is also used for ticket access. Rail engineering, weather and venue policies can change close to match day, so travel planning belongs with live operator and ground information rather than a static cricket article.
Scores, clips and StumpScope coverage
The official website and app provide the competition scorecards and short-form video. StumpScope can add a stable league route, schedule navigation and a normalized match view when an exact supported source maps to the fixture. Its automatic adapter separates a match’s real-world status from the availability of detailed data. If a source publishes innings totals but no player lines, the page should not invent a full scorecard. If an upstream request fails, the last confirmed snapshot can remain visible with a stale or delayed state. Women’s and men’s matches retain separate records even when they share a date, ground and team identity. Readers who need ticket changes, disciplinary decisions or an official statistical ruling should use the ECB or The Hundred destination. StumpScope’s role is to organize confirmed information and state its limits, not replace the competition authority.