ILT20 2026: Dates, Venues & Tickets for Season 5

What Is ILT20?

ILT20 stands for International League T20, branded DP World ILT20 for sponsorship. It’s the UAE’s own franchise Twenty20 cricket competition, launched in 2023.

Season 5 in 2026 is the fifth edition. Each franchise fields a mix of international stars and UAE-based players across a short, high-intensity T20 window.

The league has had a different champion in each of its first four seasons — Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, and Dubai Capitals each won once, before Desert Vipers claimed their maiden title in Season 4.

The Six ILT20 Franchises

Six teams compete in ILT20 2026, the same six that have played every season since the league launched:

• Desert Vipers — defending champions, based in Dubai
• MI Emirates — Season 4 runners-up, based in Dubai
• Dubai Capitals — based in Dubai
• Gulf Giants — based in Dubai
• Abu Dhabi Knight Riders — based in Abu Dhabi
• Sharjah Warriorz — based in Sharjah

Desert Vipers beat MI Emirates in the Season 4 final to win their first title, continuing the league’s run of a new champion almost every year.

ILT20 2026 Dates: When Is Season 5?

DP World ILT20 Season 5 runs from Sunday, 22 November to Sunday, 20 December 2026. That’s a slightly earlier window than the previous three seasons, which were held in the January–February slot.

Organizers moved the tournament forward specifically to avoid overlapping with South Africa’s SA20, which starts in January. That scheduling shift means less competition for star players and broadcast attention.

As of July 2026, the full match-by-match fixture list — which teams play when, at which ground — has not yet been officially released. Check ilt20.ae for the confirmed day-by-day schedule closer to the season.

ILT20 2026 Host Cities and Venues

ILT20 2026 is played across three stadiums in three different emirates, so where you watch depends on which city you’re based in or flying into.

Dubai hosts the most prominent fixtures, including the Season 5 final on 20 December. Compare flights to Dubai if that’s your base for the tournament.

Abu Dhabi and Sharjah each host their own share of league matches, and it’s common for fans to move between all three cities during the tournament window. Check flights to Abu Dhabi or flights to Sharjah depending on your fixture list.

How ILT20 2026 Tickets Work

ILT20 tickets are sold through the tournament’s official ticketing partner, Virgin Megastore, rather than general marketplaces. In past seasons, general admission tickets started as low as AED 20 per adult, with children’s tickets from around AED 10.

Premium options in previous seasons included pavilion and VIP family lounge seating, plus hospitality packages with food and drink included. Season 5 pricing had not been published as of July 2026, so treat these as a guide to the typical range rather than confirmed 2026 prices.

Tickets are usually released city by city as each stadium’s fixtures are confirmed, so it’s worth checking the official site regularly once Season 5 approaches.

Planning Your UAE Cricket Trip

ILT20 gives you a good excuse to build a short UAE trip around cricket, food, and a bit of winter sun. Here’s how the logistics work.

Flying in

Emirates and flydubai both operate extensive networks into Dubai, while Etihad Airways is the main long-haul carrier into Abu Dhabi.

Air Arabia flies a low-cost network out of Sharjah, which is useful if your fixtures are concentrated there. Compare fares across all three airports on Wego before booking.

Where to stay

Basing yourself in one city and day-tripping to the others works well, since the three venues are all within roughly an hour or two of each other by road.

• Dubai gives you the widest hotel choice and puts you closest to the final — browse Dubai hotels.
• Abu Dhabi suits a quieter, more spread-out stay — browse Abu Dhabi hotels.
• Sharjah tends to have lower rates and is a short drive from Dubai — browse Sharjah hotels.

Getting between emirates

Dubai and Sharjah are connected by highway and a short taxi or ride-hail trip (Careem and Uber both operate across the UAE). Dubai and Abu Dhabi are about a 90-minute drive apart, or a longer trip on public bus.

If you’re catching matches in more than one city on the same trip, build in extra travel time around match days, since traffic builds up sharply before evening fixtures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Start Planning Your ILT20 Trip

ILT20 2026 gives you six weeks of top-level T20 cricket spread across three easy-to-combine UAE cities.

Lock in your dates once the full fixture list drops, then compare fares on Wego and book directly with your airline or hotel of choice.

Sources

1. ILT20 official website — Season information and ticketing
2. ILT20 official — Desert Vipers seal historic first DP World ILT20 crown
3. Outlook India — ILT20 Season 5 dates: November 22 to December 20
4. ESPNcricinfo — Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates final match report
5. Wikipedia — 2026 International League T20

Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.