DP World ILT20 Season 5 – 2026

ILT20 2026 Teams

All six ILT20 Season 5 franchises, squad structures, IPL ownership links and team analysis for the tournament running 22 November to 20 December 2026.

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ILT20 2026 Teams: All Six Franchises Confirmed for Season 5

DP World ILT20 Season 5 features the same six franchises that have competed since the inaugural season. The tournament runs from 22 November to 20 December 2026 with 34 matches across Dubai International Stadium, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, and Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Desert Vipers enter Season 5 as defending champions, having won their maiden ILT20 title in Season 4 by defeating MI Emirates in the final.

ILT20 is now the most IPL-franchise-owned league in world cricket. Four of the six franchises are directly connected to IPL parent ownership: MI Emirates (Mumbai Indians), Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders), Dubai Capitals (Delhi Capitals), and Gulf Giants (Adani, who own the Gujarat Giants WPL franchise). This ownership structure drives the high level of IPL talent overlap that makes ILT20 one of the strongest franchise leagues outside India.

Season 5 squad retentions and the player auction or draft process are expected in October and November 2026 respectively. Full squad lists will be confirmed before the 22 November opening match. Each franchise squad contains 22 players with the option to add up to 2 wildcard players. Every squad must include a minimum of 2 UAE players, 1 player from an Associate Member country outside UAE, and a minimum of 2 under-23 players.

ILT20 2026 Franchise List: All Six Teams

All six franchises are confirmed for Season 5. Season 5 squad announcements are pending. The following reflects each franchise’s confirmed status and key records heading into the new season:

MI Emirates

Dubai Capitals

Gulf Giants

Desert Vipers

Sharjah Warriorz

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

ILT20 Season 5 Franchise Breakdown: Records and Key Facts

Here is what is confirmed about each franchise heading into Season 5, based on their ILT20 history and Season 4 performance:

Desert Vipers are the Season 4 champions, having defeated MI Emirates in the final to win their maiden ILT20 title. They enter Season 5 as the team to beat. Their Season 4 squad included Fakhar Zaman, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Sam Curran. Season 5 squad not yet confirmed.

MI Emirates are the Season 4 runners-up and hold the all time records for highest team total (241 for 3 against Desert Vipers) and biggest winning margin (157 runs) in ILT20 history. Their Season 4 squad was led by Andre Fletcher and Jonny Bairstow at the top of the order. Season 5 squad not yet confirmed.

Gulf Giants are backed by Adani ownership through the Gujarat Giants WPL franchise connection. Their Season 4 squad included Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Liam Dawson, giving them balance across all departments. James Vince, who holds the record for most fifties in ILT20 history with 10, has been associated with Gulf Giants. Season 5 squad not yet confirmed.

Dubai Capitals are backed by Delhi Capitals ownership and hold the third highest team total in ILT20 history with 222 for 3 against MI Emirates. Their Season 4 squad featured Scott Currie, Tymal Mills, and Rovman Powell. Season 5 squad not yet confirmed.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are backed by Kolkata Knight Riders ownership and play their home matches at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, the slowest surface of the three ILT20 venues. Their Season 4 squad included Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Alex Hales, who is the all time leading run scorer in ILT20 history with 1,156 runs. Season 5 squad not yet confirmed.

Sharjah Warriorz play their home matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, which has the shortest boundaries in ILT20. Their Season 4 squad included Junaid Siddique, Dinesh Karthik, and Tim Southee. Nicholas Pooran, who holds the all time record of 71 sixes in ILT20 history, is associated with MI Emirates but his power hitting makes Sharjah the most dangerous venue for any bowling attack facing him. Season 5 squad not yet confirmed.

ILT20 Season 5 Squad Rules and Structure

Every ILT20 Season 5 franchise must build their squad within these confirmed rules set by the Emirates Cricket Board:

Standard squad size is 22 players with the option to add up to 2 wildcard players, giving franchises flexibility to respond to injuries and overseas unavailability during the 29-day tournament window.

Each squad must include a minimum of 2 UAE domestic players. This is a core requirement of ILT20’s structure and reflects the Emirates Cricket Board’s commitment to developing local talent through elite franchise competition.

Each squad must include at least 1 player from an Associate Member country outside the UAE, extending ILT20’s development mission beyond the host nation to associate cricket nations across the MENA region and beyond.

A minimum of 2 under-23 players must be included in every squad, ensuring that young cricketers from both UAE and overseas get direct exposure to T20 cricket at the highest franchise level in the region.

IPL Ownership and Talent Pipeline in ILT20

The IPL ownership structure of four ILT20 franchises creates a direct talent pipeline that no other non-IPL franchise league can match. This is the most important structural advantage ILT20 has over other UAE-based cricket competitions:

MI Emirates (Mumbai Indians ownership) consistently signs players connected to the MI ecosystem, including power hitters and pace bowlers who have featured in IPL campaigns. Nicholas Pooran’s all time record of 71 sixes in ILT20 was built in this franchise environment.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (KKR ownership) bring the KKR philosophy of aggressive spin-led cricket to UAE conditions. Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Alex Hales (all time leading run scorer with 1,156 runs) were all part of their Season 4 squad, reflecting the depth this ownership model can attract.

Dubai Capitals (Delhi Capitals ownership) and Gulf Giants (Adani ownership) complete the IPL-linked quartet, meaning 34 of the 44 possible overseas squad slots across ILT20 are influenced by IPL ownership decisions made in March and April each year before the ILT20 auction in October.

Desert Vipers and Sharjah Warriorz operate independently of IPL parent ownership. Desert Vipers used this independence effectively in Season 4, assembling a bowling-first squad around Fazalhaq Farooqi (best bowling figures in ILT20 history, 5 for 16) that won the title against the MI-owned Emirates franchise.

FAQs: ILT20 2026 Teams

How many teams are playing in ILT20 Season 5?

Six franchises are confirmed for ILT20 Season 5: MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, Desert Vipers, Sharjah Warriorz, and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. The six-team structure has remained unchanged since the inaugural ILT20 season. All 34 Season 5 matches will be played across these six franchises in a double round-robin league format followed by playoffs, with the final on 20 December 2026 at Dubai International Stadium.

Which team is the defending ILT20 champion?

Desert Vipers are the defending ILT20 champions, having won their maiden title in Season 4 by defeating MI Emirates in the final. It was the first ILT20 title for the Vipers franchise and made them the second different champion in the tournament’s history. They enter Season 5 as the team every other franchise is targeting.

Which ILT20 franchises are connected to IPL ownership?

Four of the six ILT20 franchises have direct IPL ownership connections: MI Emirates (Mumbai Indians), Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders), Dubai Capitals (Delhi Capitals), and Gulf Giants (Adani, who own the Gujarat Giants WPL franchise). This makes ILT20 the most IPL-franchise-owned league in world cricket and explains why the tournament consistently attracts players from the IPL ecosystem. Desert Vipers and Sharjah Warriorz operate independently of IPL parent ownership.

What are the squad rules for ILT20 Season 5 franchises?

Each ILT20 Season 5 franchise squad contains 22 players with the option to add up to 2 wildcard players. Every squad must include a minimum of 2 UAE domestic players, at least 1 player from an Associate Member country outside the UAE, and a minimum of 2 under-23 players. These rules are confirmed by the Emirates Cricket Board and apply to all six franchises equally.

When will ILT20 Season 5 squad lists be confirmed?

Full squad lists for each franchise are released in two stages: a retention announcement expected in October 2026, followed by the player auction or draft process in early November 2026. Based on this timeline, complete Season 5 squads should be confirmed before mid-November 2026, giving fans approximately one to two weeks of squad analysis before the opening match on 22 November 2026.

Which ILT20 franchise holds the most batting records?

MI Emirates hold the strongest team batting records in ILT20 history. They scored the highest team total in tournament history with 241 for 3 against Desert Vipers, which also produced the biggest winning margin of 157 runs. They also scored 228 for 2 against Desert Vipers in Season 3, giving them the top two highest team totals in ILT20 history. The highest partnership in tournament history (198 runs between Andre Fletcher and Tom Banton) also belongs to MI Emirates.