SRI LANKA CRICKET (SLC) has confirmed that there will be no auction for the sixth season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), with a player draft instead scheduled for 22 March, according to ESPNcricinfo.
“During the draft, franchises will select both Sri Lankan and overseas players for the upcoming season of Sri Lanka’s premier domestic T20 tournament,” the SLC media release stated, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
The sixth season of the LPL was originally planned for early December 2025 but was postponed to allow venues to be readied for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and India.
This will mark the first time since the 2022 edition that the LPL will use a draft system. The previous two seasons were conducted through player auctions. The league has also confirmed that a sixth franchise will be introduced for the upcoming season.
Organised in collaboration with IPG Group, the Lanka Premier League continues to play an important role in strengthening Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket structure while drawing international talent and investment into the country’s sporting ecosystem.
The 2026 season will feature six teams: Colombo, Dambulla, Galle, Jaffna, Kandy and a new franchise, which is yet to be announced.
LPL tournament director Samantha Dodanwela said, “The Lanka Premier League has always captured the spirit of Sri Lankan cricket–passion, skill, and entertainment. As we expand to six teams, the 2026 edition promises to be our biggest and boldest yet. The July-August window provides the ideal stage to showcase world-class cricket at a time when the country is already alive with T20 fever. Fans can look forward to an electrifying few weeks that celebrate the best of the game.”
IPG Group founder and CEO Anil Mohan added, “We are proud to continue our collaboration with Sri Lanka Cricket in delivering a world-class tournament that keeps raising the bar each season. From league management and operations to global broadcast and marketing, our goal has always been to make the LPL a benchmark for franchise cricket in the region. With six teams now in the mix, we are confident that the 2026 season will set new standards for quality, competition, and fan engagement.”
