The World Championship of Legends (WCL) is back for its third season, with former international stars set to return to competitive cricket.
Seven teams will take part in the tournament, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates over 16 days.
The WCL 2026 season began on October 3 and the final will be played on October 18. India Champions, led by former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, will start their campaign against Australia Champions.
Pakistan Champions, featuring former stars such as Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez, will also begin their campaign on October 3 against Bangladesh Champions. One of the biggest matches of the tournament will see India Champions take on Pakistan Champions on October 10.
The 2025 edition in England reportedly reached a global TV and digital audience of 409 million. The tournament’s move to the UAE is expected to help it reach more fans in the Gulf and South Asia.
When will WCL 2026 start and end?
The third season of the World Championship of Legends will start on October 3, 2026. The final is scheduled for October 18.
Seven teams will play in the league stage. Each team will face the other six teams once, giving fans a total of 21 league matches.
The top four teams will then qualify for the semi-finals. The team finishing first will face the fourth-placed team, while the second-placed team will play the third-placed side.
When will India Champions play in WCL 2026?
India Champions played their first two match against Australia Champions and England Champions on October 3 and 4.
India’s remaining league matches will be against Bangladesh Champions on October 11 and West Indies Champions on October 13.
Here is India’s full league-stage schedule:
| Date | Match | IST |
|---|---|---|
| October 3 | India Champions vs Australia Champions | 5:00 PM |
| October 4 | India Champions vs England Champions | 9:00 PM |
| October 6 | India Champions vs South Africa Champions | 5:00 PM |
| October 10 | India Champions vs Pakistan Champions | 9:00 PM |
| October 11 | India Champions vs Bangladesh Champions | 9:00 PM |
| October 13 | India Champions vs West Indies Champions | 9:00 PM |
When will India Champions face Pakistan Champions?
The much-awaited India Champions vs Pakistan Champions match will be played on October 10.
The match is scheduled to start at 9:00 PM IST at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan Champions have several well-known former players in their squad, including Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal. The match is expected to be one of the biggest games of the league stage.
What is the full WCL 2026 schedule?
The league stage will run from October 3 to October 14. The semi-finals will be played on October 16, while the final is scheduled for October 18.
| Date | Match | IST |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 | India Champions vs Australia Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 3 | Pakistan Champions vs Bangladesh Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 4 | South Africa Champions vs West Indies Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 4 | India Champions vs England Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 5 | Australia Champions vs Pakistan Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 5 | Bangladesh Champions vs England Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 6 | India Champions vs South Africa Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 6 | Pakistan Champions vs West Indies Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 7 | Australia Champions vs Bangladesh Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 7 | England Champions vs West Indies Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 9 | Australia Champions vs South Africa Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 9 | Bangladesh Champions vs West Indies Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 10 | England Champions vs South Africa Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 10 | India Champions vs Pakistan Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 11 | Australia Champions vs West Indies Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 11 | India Champions vs Bangladesh Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 12 | Pakistan Champions vs South Africa Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 13 | Australia Champions vs England Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 13 | India Champions vs West Indies Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 14 | England Champions vs Pakistan Champions | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 14 | Bangladesh Champions vs South Africa Champions | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 16 | Semi-final 1 | 5:00 PM |
| Oct 16 | Semi-final 2 | 9:00 PM |
| Oct 18 | Final | 5:00 PM |
All the matches listed in the schedule are at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Dubai International Cricket Stadium has also been named as a host venue for the tournament.
Where can fans watch WCL 2026 live in India?
Indian fans can watch the World Championship of Legends 2026 matches live on the Star Sports Network. The matches will also be available for live streaming on FanCode.
Broadcast details for some other countries are still to be confirmed.
| Country/Region | TV | Live Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| India | Star Sports Network | FanCode |
| Pakistan | TBA | Tamasha |
| USA & Canada | Willow TV | Willow TV |
| Australia | Fox Sports, Foxtel | Kayo Sports |
| South Africa | SuperSport | TBA |
| UAE & MENA | TBA | STARZ Play |
| UK | TBA | TBA |
| New Zealand | TBA | TBA |
| Bangladesh | TBA | TBA |
| Sri Lanka | TBA | TBA |
| Zimbabwe | TBA | TBA |
| Caribbean | TBA | TBA |
The broadcasters and streaming platforms in several regions are still being confirmed, so these details could change before the tournament starts.
Which teams are playing in WCL 2026?
Seven teams will compete in the third season of the World Championship of Legends. They are India Champions, Pakistan Champions, Australia Champions, England Champions, South Africa Champions, Bangladesh Champions and West Indies Champions.
The tournament will bring several former international stars back onto the cricket field.
Who are the key players in Pakistan Champions and Australia Champions?
Pakistan Champions have Shahid Afridi as captain, with Kamran Akmal as wicketkeeper. Their squad also includes Asif Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Umar Amin, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir.
Pakistan Champions squad: Asif Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Umar Amin, Shahid Afridi (captain), Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Aamer Yamin, Rumman Raees and Asif Afridi.
Australia Champions will be led by former opener David Warner. Their squad includes Chris Lynn, Usman Khawaja, D’Arcy Short, Callum Ferguson, Ben Dunk, James Pattinson, Kane Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Andrew Tye.
Australia Champions squad: David Warner (captain), Chris Lynn, Usman Khawaja, D’Arcy Short, Callum Ferguson, Ben Dunk (wicketkeeper), Ben Hilfenhaus, James Pattinson, Kane Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Laughlin, Joe Burns, Rob Quiney, Nathan Reardon, Jonathan Wells, Fawad Ahmed and Andrew Tye.
When are the WCL 2026 semi-finals and final?
The two semi-finals will be played on October 16. The first semi-final will start at 5:00 PM IST, followed by the second semi-final at 9:00 PM IST.
The WCL 2026 final will be played on October 18 at 5:00 PM IST. The four teams reaching the semi-finals will be decided after the league stage ends on October 14.