Season 5 of the biggest cricket league in the Gulf region — the second-most watched T20 league in the world – DP World International League T20 — will begin on Sunday, November 22, 2026.
The six-team, 34-match tournament, which has featured some of the biggest T20 stars over the years, will climax with the Season 5 finale on Sunday, 20 December, at the Dubai International Stadium.
The UAE’s IPL-style league moved to a December window in Season 4; the first three seasons were played in the January-February window. Season 4 was a big success with enhanced broadcast numbers, and spectator attendance.
The tournament’s final (4 January 2026) was played in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium as the Desert Vipers collected their maiden trophy with a 46-run win over the MI Emirates.
“We are pleased to confirm the DP World International League T20 Season 5 window. We are delighted with Season 4’s success. The broadcast numbers, spectators’ interest and the participation of the biggest T20 stars made the tournament a remarkable success as the quality of the league grew further,” said David White, CEO of ILT20.
“The ILT20 continues to make massive strides and our strategic partnerships with Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation and Kuwait Cricket are already making a big impact. This year, these partnerships will be consolidated further through our development tournaments which will be played in both countries prior to Season 5.”
The Season 4 featured some of the biggest T20 stars including, Sam Curran, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik, Fakhar Zaman, Jason Roy, Kieron Pollard, Moeen Ali, Naseem Shah, Nicholas Pooran, Phil Salt, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, and Tim Southee.
Source: Khaleej Times