The Hundred 2026: All 8 Teams, Key Players, and Finals Day Guide
The Hundred 2026 features 8 city-based teams playing 100-ball cricket over 26 days, with Finals Day at Lord's in August. This guide covers all 8 teams, their home grounds, key players, the tournament format, and the broadcast arrangements for the summer's domestic showpiece.
The Hundred entered its sixth season in 2026 with the format now established as a genuine summer showpiece in English cricket. The 100-ball competition — unique in professional cricket for its set of 10 balls from each end and its 5/10-ball stint structure for bowlers — runs across late July and August, with the women's competition running alongside the men's.
The Eight Teams
The eight city-based teams are: London Spirit (Lord's), Oval Invincibles (The Kia Oval), Trent Rockets (Trent Bridge), Welsh Fire (Sophia Gardens, Cardiff), Northern Superchargers (Headingley), Manchester Originals (Emirates Old Trafford), Southern Brave (Rose Bowl, Southampton), and Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston). Each team competes in both men's and women's competitions.
The 100-Ball Format
Unlike T20 (20 overs of 6 balls each), The Hundred uses 100 balls per side. Bowlers deliver 5 or 10 consecutive balls from the same end before the captain changes the bowling. This creates different tactical situations from T20 — bowlers can build longer spells, and batsmen must manage the changing dynamics of 5-ball versus 10-ball stints rather than the fixed 6-ball over structure.
Player Composition
Each team has a squad of approximately 15 players, with 2-3 overseas stars supplementing the England domestic talent. The Hundred has attracted leading franchise cricketers from Australia (Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood), the Caribbean (Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran), Pakistan (Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi), and South Africa (Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen). The competition creates direct comparisons with the IPL and PSL.
Finals Day and Broadcast
Finals Day is held at Lord's in August — the men's and women's finals on the same day, creating a celebratory atmosphere. The BBC's free-to-air coverage has been credited with bringing cricket to new audiences; the BBC's summer 2025 average exceeded 1.2 million viewers per match. The 2026 edition continues on BBC and Sky, with the ECB extending coverage to social media platforms.
Frequently asked questions
How many balls are played in The Hundred?
100 balls per team — divided into stints of 5 or 10 consecutive deliveries from the same end, decided by the fielding captain. Not 20 overs of 6 balls.
Who won The Hundred in 2025?
Men's: Oval Invincibles won their second men's Hundred title. Women's: Southern Brave won their first women's title. Both Finals Days were held at Lord's.
How are The Hundred teams different from county cricket teams?
The Hundred teams are city-based franchises with separately drafted players — they don't directly correspond to counties. The team based at Lord's is London Spirit, not Middlesex.