The seventh edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) will commence on July 17 and conclude with the final on August 8, with the tournament set to expand its footprint across Sri Lanka by being staged in Colombo, Dambulla, Kandy and Jaffna for the first time.
Captains of the five LPL franchises joined tournament officials at the official pre-season press conference on Tuesday, highlighting the league’s growing stature as one of the world’s leading T20 competitions while emphasising its role in developing Sri Lankan talent and strengthening the country’s cricket ecosystem.
Anil Mohan Sankhdhar, Founder and CEO of IPG Group, the official rights holder of the Lanka Premier League, said the tournament has shown remarkable growth over the past six seasons.
“The growth of the Lanka Premier League has been remarkable over the last six seasons. Every year, the tournament continues to attract greater international interest while creating valuable opportunities for Sri Lankan players. Our focus is on continuing that journey, strengthening the league both on and off the field, and taking the LPL to even greater heights,” he said.
The league’s increasing international appeal was further highlighted by the 2026 player draft, which attracted more than 650 overseas registrations from 21 countries, including India. This represents an increase of over 230 registrations compared to the previous edition, reflecting the LPL’s growing relevance in the global cricket arena.
LPL Tournament Director Samantha Dodanwela said the tournament has made significant progress since its inception in 2020 and has established itself among the world’s leading franchise T20 leagues.
“The LPL started in 2020, and we have made tremendous progress since then. Today, it has established itself as one of the world's foremost franchises T20 leagues. This year, we will be playing across four venues for the first time, and we are looking forward to delivering another highly competitive and successful tournament,” he said.
The Lanka Premier League 2026 will get underway on July 17, with defending champions Jaffna Kings taking on Galle Gallants at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo.
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Lanka Premier League 2026 to begin on July 17 across four venues
