The International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering sweeping changes to the regulation of T20 franchise leagues that could significantly affect the commercial viability of the UAE’s ILT20 and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States, according to a report by Cricinfo‘s Osman Samiuddin.
The proposals would strengthen the ICC‘s authority over domestic competitions, introduce tighter controls on overseas players and sponsorship arrangements, and establish more stringent requirements for league approval. They have been developed by the ICC’s Franchise Leagues Review Group ahead of discussions involving cricket board executives and senior officials at the governing body’s quarterly meetings in Bali this weekend.
Overseas player restrictions threaten ILT20 and MLC
Among the most consequential recommendations is the enforcement of a four-overseas-player limit in franchise league playing XIs, potentially ending exemptions previously granted to ILT20 and MLC when the ICC established its player restrictions in 2023.
ILT20 currently permits up to nine overseas players per team, including at least one from an Associate Member nation, while MLC allows six. Bringing both competitions under the four-player restriction would require franchises to field significantly more domestic players, potentially affecting their existing squad structures, competitive strength and commercial appeal.
The implications extend to Indian franchise investors. Five of ILT20’s six teams have ownership connections with Indian Premier League (IPL) or Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchises, while four MLC teams are linked to IPL ownership groups.
The proposed changes have already raised concerns among league stakeholders. An official from one of the affected competitions questioned whether its existing operating model could survive the restrictions and challenged the apparent reversal of earlier assurances. The official said: “We were assured before that we were protected under the grandfather clause \[which would exempt them as an existing league from new rules\].”
The ICC Franchise Leagues Review Group has also examined the legal position surrounding the proposed changes. Its recommendations paper, obtained by Cricinfo, references external legal advice indicating that ICC members would not “have any good legal basis to challenge these changes.”
ICC seeks greater authority over league approvals
Beyond player eligibility, the proposals would fundamentally change how franchise competitions receive and retain permission to operate.
Currently, Full Member boards independently sanction leagues within their jurisdictions, while competitions operating under Associate Members require additional ICC approval. The proposed framework would give the global governing body powers to scrutinise decisions made by Full Members and intervene where regulatory obligations have not been fulfilled.
The review group has identified inconsistencies in existing sanctioning procedures, with national boards applying different standards when assessing domestic competitions. Its recommendations call for clearer requirements covering league financing, player payment protections, ownership arrangements and integrity safeguards.
The committee’s paper outlines the need for a more consistent approval process, stating: “A more detailed structure should be put in place (through the Regulations) setting out the conditions that a franchise league would need to satisfy before it could obtain a domestic sanction.”
Under the proposed arrangements, the ICC would gain the ability to audit approvals granted by national boards and intervene where serious integrity concerns arise, including after a competition has commenced.
The recommendations envisage allowing the ICC to “step in and take over the sanctioning authority (including being able to reject a sanctioning application or removing one which may have been granted by the relevant Member)”.
Such powers would represent a significant shift from the existing system, in which Full Members retain primary control over the authorisation of domestic leagues in their territories.
Anti-corruption measures and betting sponsorship face scrutiny
The proposed regulatory overhaul also targets integrity concerns associated with the expanding franchise cricket market, including corruption risks, unstable ownership arrangements and outstanding player payments.
League operators would be required to engage either the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) or another integrity body approved by the governing organisation as a condition of receiving sanction.
Where a competition is assessed as presenting a high corruption risk, the ICC’s ACU could provide oversight at the league organiser’s expense on a not-for-profit basis. Applications could be rejected if adequate safeguards cannot be established.
The review group has additionally recommended restricting sponsorship arrangements involving betting companies and surrogate brands that facilitate gambling in prohibited or unregulated markets.
The proposed restrictions could affect competitions including South Africa’s SA20, which has a betting company sponsor, as well as smaller leagues with similar commercial partnerships.
Addressing the issue in its recommendations paper, the review group stated: “Such sponsorship exposes host Members to the risk of facilitating illegal betting in cricket, which carries the potential for increased corruption, and raises clear ethical and governance questions for the sport.”
Another proposed change would introduce mandatory sanctioning fees for league operators. These payments could support independent due diligence examinations and investigations into potential corruption, with applications not considered until the required fee has been paid.
Player payments and league expansion under consideration
Several additional matters have been referred for further discussion rather than immediate regulatory approval.
One concerns solidarity payments, under which the board hosting a franchise competition compensates another national board when its players participate in that league.
Although solidarity payments already form part of the ICC’s sanctioning requirements, their value is negotiated between the relevant boards. This arrangement has contributed to disagreements, including a recent dispute involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Abu Dhabi T10.
The review group has proposed examining whether a standardised payment structure, potentially based on a fixed percentage, should apply across competitions and participating players.
The committee has also raised questions about legends leagues involving retired cricketers, particularly where participants subsequently return to sanctioned cricket. Further guidance has been requested on whether such competitions should fall within the ICC’s regulatory framework.
Another issue under consideration is whether individual ICC members should face restrictions on the number of franchise leagues staged within their territories. The proposal reflects concerns about the growing franchise calendar and its relationship with international cricket, with potential implications for the UAE’s multiple domestic competitions.
ICC leadership to consider proposed reforms in Bali
The Franchise Leagues Review Group was established in July and is chaired by Bangladesh Cricket Board President and former Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal.
Its other members include England and Wales Cricket Board Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould, Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer Todd Greenberg and Board of Control for Cricket in India Secretary Devajit Saikia.
The committee’s work also incorporates input from ICC Anti-Corruption Head Andy Ephgrave, who previously highlighted the increasing number of approaches to players within franchise cricket compared with international matches.
The recommendations will now be considered by the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee during the Bali meetings, with proposals requiring formal approval subsequently referred to the ICC Board.
No final decision has yet been confirmed, leaving ILT20, MLC and other franchise competitions awaiting clarity on the regulatory conditions under which they may operate.
