LPL 2026: Sri Lanka Cricket reveals dates and four venues for upcoming season
Published - 22 Apr 2026, 03:06 PM | Updated - 22 Apr 2026, 03:54 PM
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially announced the dates for the highly anticipated sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). In a media statement, the board confirmed that its premier domestic T20 tournament will take place across four venues in Sri Lanka between July and August later this year.
The Lanka Premier League will begin on July 10 and end with the final on August 5. After co-hosting the 2026 T20 World Cup from February to March, Sri Lanka Cricket secured this window to ensure better international player availability and smooth scheduling for the tournament across the country this year.
Sri Lanka Cricket Confirms Lanka Premier League Venues And Dates
On Wednesday, April 22, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed the tournament timeline and host cities. The board stated that four major international venues across Colombo, Pallekele, and Dambulla will host the matches from July 5 to August 6 during the upcoming season.
"The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 will be held from 10th July to 5 August 2026. The sixth edition of the much-anticipated T20 league will be played across four venues: SSC, Colombo; RPICS, Colombo; PICS, Pallekele; and RDICS, Dambulla," Sri Lanka Cricket stated.
Sri Lanka Cricket had planned to expand the LPL by adding a sixth team from the 6th season. However, the competition will continue with teams from the existing cities. The contracts of Jaffna Kings and Colombo Strikers were terminated for failing to meet their obligations.
Sri Lanka Cricket Announces Foreign Player Registration Portal for LPL 2026 Draft
Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to move away from the traditional player auction system used in previous editions. The board will conduct a full player draft to allocate both domestic and international cricketers across the five Lanka Premier League franchises for the sixth season.
Sri Lanka Cricket has outlined clear registration timelines for international players seeking contracts. The board also confirmed when the online registration platform will open for foreign players interested in entering the draft.
“The online portal for foreign player registration will open on May 4, 2026,” the official statement said.
Sri Lanka Cricket Confirms Event Management Structure and Tournament Director for LPL 2026
Sri Lanka Cricket also clarified the administrative structure managing the tournament, which was launched in 2020. The board confirmed that it will continue to work in partnership with The IPG Group to ensure smooth operations throughout the four-week Lanka Premier League season.
"The tournament will be conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the owner of the LPL, in partnership with The IPG Group, the event rights holder of the tournament," Sri Lanka Cricket announced.
Sri Lanka Cricket also confirmed leadership details for the tournament. Executive Committee member Samantha Dodanwela will continue in his role as Tournament Director, with the board expressing full confidence in his leadership for the upcoming season.
"Mr. Samantha Dodanwela, who is an Executive Committee Member of the SLC, will continue to function as the Tournament Director," the statement concluded.
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