The International League T20 is being held in a new window this season, with the fourth edition starting on December 2 and concluding on January 4, 2026.
The competition, which features six teams and 34 matches, began on the UAE National Day. When announcing the schedule, the League's Chairman and Emirates Cricket Board Vice-Chairman Khalid Al Zaroon had said: "We are delighted to confirm that the DP World International League T20 Season 4 will commence on the UAE National Day - Eid-Al-Etihad - which is one of the most important days on the UAE calendar.
"The UAE National Day is the day when we celebrate the United Arab Emirates, which is home to people from around the world, including millions of diehard cricket fans. It is a real honour for us to join the nation in the UAE National Day 2025 celebrations with the launch of the region's biggest T20 league on the same day."
Why is the 2025/26 ILT20 being held earlier?
According to League CEO David White, the intention was to ensure the event finished well before the T20 World Cup, scheduled from February 7: "The ICC Men's T20 World Cup begins in early February, hence it was important for us to start and finish Season 4 well before the tournament, as it will allow the players playing both the ILT20 and the T20 World Cup to prepare for national duty. In addition, we feel that the December-January window will provide the teams the best opportunity to access a bigger pool of players."
It will also prevent major clashes with other T20 leagues such as the Big Bash League, the Bangladesh Premier League, and the SA20. The ILT20 was initially planned for 2022 but was ultimately staged from January 13 to February 12, 2023, running parallel to the inaugural SA20, which took place from January 10 to February 12. The 2024 season (January 19–February 17) overlapped with the SA20 once again (January 10–February 10). In 2025, the ILT20 began on January 11, with the final on February 9. The SA20 was from January 9 to February 8.
With the BBL also occupying much of the same period - last year’s final was held on January 2025 - ILT20 teams often struggled with mid-season departures and reduced availability of international players.
By starting on December 2 this year, the ILT20 aims to minimise those overlaps, though some still remain. The Big Bash League begins on December 14, which may prompt early exits for a handful of players. The SA20’s December 26 start is expected to impact several squads as well, with MI Emirates’ Nicholas Pooran among those likely to depart to join MI’s South African franchise.
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