All 6 Major League Cricket Teams 2026: Full Breakdown

1. MI New York

Overview

MI New York are the most successful franchise in MLC history, having won two of the first three championships in 2023 and 2025.Their 2025 title was particularly dramatic. As explained in our full MLC 2025 season review, MI New York won only three league matches before defeating San Francisco Unicorns, Texas Super Kings and Washington Freedom in the playoffs. 

Owner:MI New York are part of Reliance Industries’ global MI #OneFamily. Their connection with Mumbai Indians is one example of the close links between IPL teams and their MLC counterparts. 

• Home City: New York
• Captain: Nicholas Pooran
• Head Coach: Mark Boucher
• Key Players: Nicholas Pooran, Quinton de Kock, Trent Boult, Kieron Pollard, Romario Shepherd, Monank Patel and Rushil Ugarkar
• Squad Overview: MI New York retain the core of their 2025 championship-winning side. Pooran and de Kock provide top-order power, while Monank Patel gives the team a reliable domestic batting option.Boult remains a major new-ball threat, while Shepherd offers pace, lower-order hitting and death-over options. Ugarkar returns after being named Player of the Match in the 2025 Final, where he successfully defended 12 runs in the last over.Pollard also returned as a player for 2026 after serving in coaching roles elsewhere within the MI franchise network. His experience, power-hitting and tactical knowledge remain valuable even at the later stage of his career.
• Biggest Strength: Proven performers in knockout situations. MI New York have won six playoff matches across their two championship campaigns.
• Biggest Weakness: League-stage inconsistency. Their 3–7 record in 2025 showed how vulnerable they can be before the playoffs.
• 2026 Expectations: MI New York remain genuine title contenders because of their experience and proven ability to handle high-pressure matches. Their challenge is to avoid relying on another late-season recovery.

2. Texas Super Kings

Overview

Texas Super Kings have been one of MLC’s most consistent franchises. They reached the playoffs in each of the league’s first three seasons but entered 2026 still searching for their first title.

Owner: Texas Super Kings International LLC is co-owned by Super Kings International Inc., Anurag Jain and Ross Perot Jr.Super Kings International, the wholly owned United States subsidiary of Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited, holds a verified 55.5% interest in the Texas operating company.

• Home City: Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas
• Captain: Faf du Plessis
• Head Coach: Stephen Fleming, who has led the franchise since its inaugural season. Fleming has also coached Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles.
• Key Players: Faf du Plessis, Donovan Ferreira, Rilee Rossouw, Keshav Maharaj, Akeal Hosein, Wiaan Mulder, Adam Milne and Saiteja Mukkamalla
• Squad Overview: Faf du Plessis remains the centre of Texas’ batting and leadership structure. He has also established himself as one of the best batters in Major League Cricket history through his consistent performances across different seasons.Du Plessis also began the 2026 season with another major performance, becoming the oldest batter to score a men’s T20 century when he made an unbeaten hundred against Seattle Orcas.The overseas group is substantially different from the one listed in the original draft. Devon Conway is not part of the published Texas Super Kings 2026 squad.Rossouw and Ferreira supply middle-order power, while Maharaj and Hosein provide high-quality left-arm spin. Milne gives Texas genuine pace, and Mulder adds all-round balance.
• Biggest Strength: Leadership and tactical stability. Du Plessis and Fleming have worked together across several franchise competitions and understand how to build consistent tournament campaigns.
• Biggest Weakness: Converting playoff qualification into a championship. Texas have reached the postseason repeatedly without reaching an MLC Final.
• 2026 Expectations: Texas remain strong title contenders. Their combination of experienced international players, domestic batting options and varied bowling makes them one of the competition’s most balanced teams.

3. Washington Freedom

Overview

Washington Freedom won the 2024 MLC championship and finished as runners-up in 2025. They entered 2026 with one of the league’s deepest groups of international and domestic players.

Owner: Washington Freedom are owned by Indian-American entrepreneur Sanjay Govil. The franchise also has a long-term high-performance partnership with Cricket New South Wales, but Cricket NSW is not an ownership partner or IPL connection.

• Home City: Washington, D.C.
• Captain: Steve Smith
• Head Coach: Ricky Ponting
• Key Players: Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman and Saurabh Netravalkar
• Squad Overview: Smith returned as Washington’s captain in 2026 after not appearing during the 2025 season. He previously led the franchise to its first MLC title in 2024.Washington’s announced 2026 group contained 10 international players and 10 domestic players. The franchise retained most of its established championship core while adding players such as Chapman, Ben Dwarshuis and Nikhil Chaudhary.Owen remains one of the league’s most dangerous all-rounders after being named the 2025 tournament MVP. He also produced a record-breaking 155 during Washington’s 2026 victory over MI New York.Maxwell, Ravindra and Chapman provide batting and spin options, while Jansen, Ferguson, Dwarshuis and Netravalkar form a varied pace attack.
• Biggest Strength: Depth and flexibility. Washington can alter their batting order and bowling combinations without relying on one fixed method.
• Biggest Weakness: Their large overseas group creates difficult selection decisions, while their early 2026 performances showed that even a star-heavy attack can be punished on batting-friendly surfaces.
• 2026 Expectations: Washington remain capable of reaching a third consecutive Final. Smith and Ponting provide proven leadership, but the franchise must find its most effective playing combination consistently.

4. San Francisco Unicorns

Overview

San Francisco Unicorns reached the 2024 MLC Final and finished third in the 2025 league stage before losing the Eliminator to MI New York.Their biggest 2026 signing was Ravichandran Ashwin, the leading name among the Indian players in MLC 2026 and the first India-capped men’s cricketer to play in the league. 

Owner: The franchise’s principal owners and managing partners are technology entrepreneurs Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan. San Francisco also expanded its investor group in 2025.

• Home City: San Francisco Bay Area
• Captain: Matthew Short
• Head Coach: Cameron White, who replaced Shane Watson after the 2025 season. White previously worked as a Unicorns assistant coach.
• Key Players: Matthew Short, Finn Allen, Ravichandran Ashwin, Haris Rauf, Xavier Bartlett, Aaron Hardie and Lhuan-dre Pretorius
• Squad Overview: San Francisco possess one of the strongest batting groups in MLC 2026.Allen remains one of the league’s most destructive openers, while Short offers aggressive top-order batting and off-spin. Young South African batter Pretorius and Australian all-rounder Hardie add further power and flexibility.The original draft incorrectly included Cooper Connolly as a current key player. Connolly withdrew before the tournament because of injury and was replaced by South African wicketkeeper-batter Connor Esterhuizen.Ashwin gives the franchise experience and tactical control through the middle overs. Rauf and Bartlett provide high pace and new-ball movement, giving Cameron White several different bowling options.
• Biggest Strength: Explosive top-order batting supported by a varied bowling attack.
• Biggest Weakness: Injury and availability changes have disrupted the original squad, placing additional responsibility on replacement players and the domestic group.
• 2026 Expectations: San Francisco have the firepower to win their first title. Their early-season performances, including an eight-wicket victory over Washington, showed how quickly their top order can take a match away from an opponent.

5. Seattle Orcas

Overview

Seattle Orcas made major leadership and squad changes after finishing fifth in 2025.The franchise appointed a new head coach, named a new captain and rebuilt much of its overseas group. Those decisions produced an immediate improvement, with Seattle moving to the top of the 2026 table during the opening half of the league stage.

Owner: Seattle Orcas are backed by a local investor group that includes technology leaders such as Satya Nadella, Soma Somasegar, Samir Bodas, Ashok Krishnamurthi and Sanjay Parthasarathy.The ownership group operates in partnership with GMR Group, which also co-owns Delhi Capitals in the IPL. Satya Nadella and the other Seattle investors are not members of GMR Group.

• Home City: Seattle, Washington
• Captain: Marcus Stoinis
• Head Coach: Adam Voges, who replaced Matthew Mott after Seattle’s fifth-place 2025 campaign.
• Key Players: Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Tim Seifert, Matthew Breetzke, Jason Behrendorff, Tanveer Sangha, Lungi Ngidi and Harmeet Singh
• Squad Overview: Stoinis gives Seattle a powerful middle-order batter, useful medium pace and experienced leadership.Hetmyer remains one of the most dangerous finishers in the league. His aggressive batting was central to Seattle’s record chase during the 2025 season and their strong performances in 2026.Seifert and Breetzke provide top-order options, while Behrendorff, Ngidi and Ottniel Baartman offer contrasting forms of fast bowling. Sangha supplies wrist-spin, with Harmeet providing left-arm spin and domestic experience.Sikandar Raza was listed in the original draft but is not part of Seattle’s published 2026 squad.
• Biggest Strength: Power-hitting and a far more balanced overseas group than in 2025.
• Biggest Weakness: Seattle are still adapting to a new leadership structure and have already experienced sharp changes in performance from one match to the next.
• 2026 Expectations: Seattle’s early results have shown that a playoff place is more than a realistic target. If Stoinis and Hetmyer remain productive and the fast bowlers stay available, the Orcas can challenge for their first championship.

6. Los Angeles Knight Riders

Overview

Los Angeles Knight Riders missed the playoffs in each of the first three MLC seasons.

They entered 2026 with a new captain, a new coaching group and a new home venue at the Knight Riders Cricket Ground at Fairplex in Pomona.

Owner: Los Angeles Knight Riders are owned by the Knight Riders Group. The group was founded by Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta and also operates Kolkata Knight Riders, Trinbago Knight Riders and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

• Home City: Los Angeles, California
• Captain: Jason Holder
• Head Coach: Dwayne Bravo, with former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson joining the franchise as mentor.
• Key Players: Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Ali Khan and Unmukt Chand
• Squad Overview: Holder brings leadership, lower-order batting and high-release seam bowling. Narine and Russell remain central to the Knight Riders’ global franchise identity, while Powell, Hales and Munro give the batting group significant boundary-hitting power.The original squad list incorrectly included Anrich Nortje, who is not part of the published LAKR 2026 roster.The bowling group includes Ali Khan, Carmi le Roux, Lloyd Pope and domestic all-rounders such as Shadley van Schalkwyk. Fabian Allen also offers left-arm spin and lower-order hitting.
• Bravo brings extensive T20 experience, particularly in death bowling. However, he should not be described as the current highest wicket-taker in IPL history. He previously held the record before it was surpassed.
• Biggest Strength: Experienced match-winners and a powerful West Indian core led by Holder, Narine, Russell and Powell.
• Biggest Weakness: LAKR have struggled to establish consistent opening and middle-order combinations across their first three seasons.
• 2026 Expectations: Reaching the playoffs remains the immediate target. Their strong start showed improvement, but recent defeats also demonstrated that the franchise is still searching for consistency.