Lanka Premier League 2026 Schedule: The Lanka Premier League 2026 will be the fifth edition of the premier franchise T20 competition. Today, we will take a look at its schedule.
The LPL was supposed to commence in 2018. But due to repeated delays, it started all the way back in 2020. The first edition took place amidst Covid-19 lockdowns. But the league rose from a shaky start to now being among the top 10 most valuable franchise T20 leagues in the world.
The league has been home to some of the most prominent international cricketers throughout the years. It has also been vital in Sri Lanka’s resurgence in world cricket, allowing the nation to compete with the rest of the world by giving its domestic players a chance to play alongside stars of the game.
As for its format, each of the five teams plays each other twice in a double round-robin. After the league stage, four out of the five teams qualify for the playoffs, where the top two teams play Qualifier 1, and the third- and fourth-placed sides play the Eliminator. The loser of the first match and the winner of the second play Qualifier 2, and we get our two finalists. The winner of the ultimate match wins the league.
How Many Teams Play In The Lanka Premier League 2026?
The Lanka Premier League started in 2020 with five teams. The same five teams are still the only ones in the league.
The five teams are from five cricketing hotspots in the nation. First is the defending champions and the most successful team in competition history, the Jaffna Kings. This team has won a whopping four LPL titles out of five, including the most recent season in 2024. They are captained by Bhanuka Rajapaksa and even have Indian representation in the form of spinner Piyush Chawla.
Next up is the only other team that has ever won the league, the Kandy Royals. They won the title back in 2023. On other occasions, they have made it to the playoffs but also finished at the bottom of the table twice. Angelo Mathews captains them, while Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi is their most popular overseas player.
The Galle Gallants might be the second-most consistent team in the Lanka Premier League. They have reached the final on three occasions, most recently doing so in 2024. They are captained by Dasun Shanaka, with veteran Aussie batter Chris Lynn being their most high-profile overseas player.
The fourth team in the league is the Dambulla Sixers. Their best finish has been making the final in 2023, where they lost to the Royals. In the most recent season, they finished at the bottom of the table. The Sixers will be led this season by former Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal. They also have several high-profile overseas players, including Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan, and Afghan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib.
Lastly, the team that resides in the capital of the country, the Colombo Kaps. This team has also made it to the final only once, doing so in 2022. Their captain this season will be Kamindu Mendis, while New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham brings tons of experience.
What Is Lanka Premier League 2026 Schedule?
| Match no. | Home Team | Away Team | Date and Time | Venue |
| 1 | Jaffna Kings | Galle Gallants | Friday, July 17, 07:30 pm (IST) | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo |
| 2 | Kandy Royals | Dambulla Sixers | Saturday, July 18, 03:00 pm (IST) | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo |
| 3 | Galle Gallants | Colombo Kaps | Saturday, July 18, 07:30 pm (IST) | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo |
| 4 | Dambulla Sixers | Jaffna Kings | Sunday, July 19, 03:00 pm (IST) | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo |
| 5 | Colombo Kaps | Kandy Royals | Sunday, July 19, 07:30 PM (IST) | Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo |
| 6 | Dambulla Sixers | Kandy Royals | Tuesday, July 21, 07:30 PM (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 7 | Jaffna Kings | Colombo Kaps | Wednesday, July 22, 03:00 PM (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 8 | Dambulla Sixers | Galle Gallants | Wednesday, July 22, 07:30 PM (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 9 | Kandy Royals | Colombo Kaps | Thursday, July 23, 03:00 pm (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 10 | Galle Gallants | Jaffna Kings | Thursday, July 23, 07:30 pm (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 11 | Galle Gallants | Kandy Royals | Saturday, July 25,03:00 PM (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 12 | Dambulla Sixers | Colombo Kaps | Saturday, July 25, 07:30 pm (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 13 | Kandy Royals | Jaffna Kings | Sunday, July 26, 03:00 pm (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 14 | Galle Gallants | Dambulla Sixers | Sunday, July 26, 07:30 pm (IST) | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla |
| 15 | Colombo Kaps | Jaffna Kings | Tuesday, July 28, 07:30 PM (IST) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele |
| 16 | Galle Gallants | Kandy Royals | Wednesday, July 29, 03:00 PM (IST) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele |
| 17 | Colombo Kaps | Dambulla Sixers | Wednesday, July 29, 07:30 PM (IST) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele |
| 18 | Jaffna Kings | Kandy Royals | Thursday, July 30, 07:30 PM (IST) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele |
| 19 | Colombo Kaps | Galle Gallants | Saturday, August 01, 07:30 pm (IST) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele |
| 20 | Jaffna Kings | Dambulla Sixers | Sunday, August 02, 07:30 pm (IST) | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele |
| Qualifier 1 | 1st Place | 2nd Place | Wednesday, August 05, 03:00 PM (IST) | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Eliminator | 3rd Place | 4th Place | Wednesday, August 05, 07:30 pm (IST) | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Qualifier 2 | Qualifier 1 loser | Eliminator winner | Friday, August 07, 07:30 pm (IST) | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Final | Qualifier 1 winner | Qualifier 2 winner | Saturday, August 09, 07:30 pm (IST) | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
Lanka Premier League 2026: Where To Watch In India?
The 2026 Lanka Premier League tournament will have a live TV broadcast in India on the Star Sports 3 channel. It will be livestreamed on the Fancode app and website on mobiles, laptops, TVs, and other streaming devices.
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