Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has revealed that the 2026 edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) is scheduled to take place from July 10 to August 5. The online portal for foreign player registration will open on May 4, as per SLC. Originally planned for December 2025, the sixth edition of LPL was postponed due to the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which Sri Lanka will co-host with India in February–March.
The decision to postpone the league was influenced by the necessity to adequately prepare the ‘Host Venues’ in advance for the T20 World Cup 2026. The LPL, consisting of 24 matches including 20 league games and four knockout fixtures, will be held across four venues: Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, and Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla.
During the league phase, five franchises will face each other twice, with the top four teams progressing to the playoffs. The tournament format involves all franchises playing each other twice in the league phase. Following this, the top four teams will move on to the playoffs. The first playoff match, Qualifier 1, will determine a direct finalist from the top two teams.
The third and fourth-placed teams will compete in the Eliminator, with the winner facing the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2 to decide the second finalist. Launched in 2020, the LPL has evolved into a significant domestic T20 tournament with international recognition. Samantha Dodanwela, an executive committee member of Sri Lanka Cricket, will retain his position as the tournament director.
