Minor League Cricket will return September 17 for its 2026 regular season, with 62 matches scheduled across eight US venues before the October playoffs in Houston. File photo courtesy of Andy Mead/YCJ

Minor League Cricket (MiLC) will begin its 2026 regular season on September 17, with 62 matches scheduled across eight venues in the United States before the playoffs and championship final move to Houston in October.

The regular season will run through September 27, followed by a scheduled break before the postseason takes place at Prairie View Cricket Complex (PVCC) from October 21-25.

The gap in the calendar has been designed to allow MiLC players to take part in the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two matches at Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and the Atlanta Open, avoiding clashes with the decisive stages of the domestic competition.

The 2026 season was originally scheduled to begin on August 7. The revised September start is intended to align venue availability, broadcasting and team logistics across the league's participating markets.

Matches will be played at eight venues nationwide, including Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and the newly opened Knight Riders Cricket Ground in California.

The process of building the league's rosters began on Friday, August 28, with the MiLC Divisional Drafts taking place on a staggered schedule.

The draft will retain the league's snake format, with the lowest-ranked teams from the 2025 season receiving the first selections in their respective divisions. Results are expected to be announced within 24 hours of each draft's completion.

Teams can pass on selections during the divisional draft and will have the opportunity to sign eligible players as free agents once all divisions have completed their selections, subject to league roster regulations. Each team must carry between 14 and 18 players.

The 2026 campaign will also see a change in team ownership and identity, with All Stars Dallas replacing Kings XI Dallas following a change in ownership ahead of the season.

MiLC regular-season matches will again be open to spectators free of charge. Matches will also be available through MLC Network for viewers in the United States and internationally.

The league's 2026 schedule includes the regular-season fixtures as well as information on team rosters, live scores, match scorecards and competition updates.

The revised calendar gives MiLC a concentrated 11-day regular season before the October postseason. With the league break accommodating international and domestic commitments, the 2026 playoffs and championship final will determine the season's champion at Prairie View Cricket Complex from October 21-25.