Draft system returns as LPL resets for 2026 season
After a turbulent few months marked by delays and franchise shakeups, the Lanka Premier League is set for a significant procedural shift. Sri Lanka Cricket has confirmed that the upcoming sixth edition of the LPL will use a player draft instead of an auction, scheduled to take place on March 22.
The change signals a return to the format last used in 2022, after two seasons of player auctions. The decision comes as the tournament looks to reset its operational model ahead of a tightly packed international calendar and a co-hosted ICC Men’s T20 World Cup later in the year.
“During the draft, franchises will select both Sri Lankan and overseas players for the upcoming season of Sri Lanka’s premier domestic T20 tournament,” an SLC media release confirmed.
Postponement, franchise terminations mark new era
Originally planned for early December 2025, the LPL was pushed back to allow venue readiness for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which Sri Lanka is co-hosting with India. The league will now be held from July 8 to August 8 — a window identified by SLC as its preferred period for staging the competition.
Off the field, the league has undergone a major structural reset. Earlier this year, two prominent franchises — Jaffna Kings and Colombo Strikers — were terminated due to what the board described as “failure to uphold contractual obligations.” As a result, the LPL enters its sixth season without any teams retaining ownership continuity from prior to 2024.
New franchise owners for both Colombo and Jaffna are yet to be announced.
Sixth team plans remain uncertain
Before the postponement, there had been internal discussions about expanding the league with a sixth team. However, no formal updates have followed since that proposal, and the league continues with five established franchises representing Galle, Kandy, Dambulla, Colombo, and Jaffna — though the latter two await new ownership.
With the draft date now set and the tournament timeline confirmed, the focus shifts to rebuilding team rosters under the revised format and stabilizing the league’s franchise base before the 2026 season gets underway.
