In a pathbreaking move in international T20 cricket, the highly awaited Champions League T20 is set to make its comeback in 2026. Renamed as the World Club Championship, this new-look tournament is going to host the best franchise teams worldwide, providing a new zenith in club cricket.
A New Era: From Champions League T20 to World Club Championship
As per a report published by The Cricketer, the defunct Champions League T20, which operated from 2009 to 2014, is being reinstated with a new identity. The World Club Championship seeks to bring the champions of prominent T20 leagues such as the IPL, BBL, PSL, SA20, and The Hundred under one global umbrella.
The planned tournament is reported to have good support from strong cricketing bodies like the BCCI and ECB, and has also received the stamp of approval from ICC chairman Jay Shah.
What Will the New Tournament Look Like?
Although no full details are available at this time, initial indications are that:
Involvement of the champions of the T20 leagues around the world.
The ECB strongly prefers The Hundred winners to Vitality Blast winners.
Probable inclusion of both men’s and women’s sides in future editions.
Wider format from the original four-league one of the early years.
This broadening may represent a welcome change, turning the World Club Championship into a more inclusive and genuinely worldwide version of the original Champions League T20.
Why Was the Champions League T20 Discontinued?
The original Champions League T20 was first introduced in 2009 with top club franchises from the IPL, Big Bash League, and others. Though expectations were high, it was canceled in 2015 owing to:
Slumping viewership
No commercial sponsors
Excessive presence of IPL teams (3 among the 8-10 spots)
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However, sides such as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) made history with two titles apiece.
Why It’s Revival Matters in 2026
T20 franchise cricket has taken off since the original tournament closed. Every major cricketing nation now has a competitive T20 league, and there has never been a better opportunity to reintroduce a Champions League T20-style tournament.
Key factors:
Flexibility to schedule more T20 leagues across continents.
The global audience for franchise cricket has continued to grow.
A need for a unifying international club tournament
Commercial opportunities via global broadcasting
As ECB’s Richard Gould recently told ESPNcricinfo, “Without doubt, at some point, there will be a World Club Championship for both men and women. That’s the next logical step.”
Conclusion: Champions League T20 Is Evolving Into a Global Cricket Spectacle
The revival of the Champions League T20, this time in the guise of the World Club Championship, is not simply a resurrection it’s an evolution. Coming in 2026, the tournament promises to be cricket’s equivalent of football’s UEFA Champions League, and one that will finally give fans a genuinely top-flight contest at the club level.
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