The complete schedule for the men’s and women’s county season, along with the Toyota Disability Premier League, has been released.Over 177 days of competition, teams will compete for ten trophies, beginning with the opening round of the Rothesay County Championship on Friday, 3 April.
Rothesay County Championship
Nottinghamshire begin the defence of their Rothesay County Championship title away to Somerset while Leicestershire and Glamorgan – both back in Division One for the first time in over two decades – host Sussex and Yorkshire respectively in the opening round.
Notts won their first Rothesay County Championship trophy for 15 years under captain Haseeb Hameed last season and have already re-signed the man who confirmed the title, South African Kyle Verreynne, when he hit a six in their final game against Warwickshire as well as Australian seamer Fergus O’Neill (from April until June).
The 2026 Rothesay County Championship will be played in three blocks of matches – with each county playing a total of 14 matches.
Each county will play six matches during the first seven-week block, with all matches during that period starting on a Friday. A mid-summer block of two games will be staged in June – with each county playing twice.
The third block of matches begins on 20 August with each county playing six matches to complete the season. The final round begins on 24 September.
Metro Bank One-Day Cup
Lancashire were the most successful county team last season winning both the Metro Bank One-Day Cup Women’s Competition and the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup.
They start their 50-over title defence away to Durham on 11 April with a first-ever professional Roses clash against Yorkshire scheduled for Emirates Old Trafford on 25 April. Yorkshire, who won the Metro Bank One-Day Cup Women’s League 2 title last year, begin life in Tier 1 away to Somerset.
Worcestershire Rapids won an emotional Metro Bank One-Day Cup Men’s Competition final in September – dedicating the triumph to former team-mate Josh Baker – and start their campaign at home to Derbyshire Falcons on 24 July.
The groups for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup Men’s Competition were randomly drawn, with each county playing each county in their group once.
Group A: Gloucestershire, Kent Spitfires, Lancashire, Leicestershire Foxes, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Notts Outlaws, Somerset, Surrey, Warwickshire.
Group B: Derbyshire Falcons, Durham, Essex, Glamorgan, Hampshire, Middlesex, Sussex Sharks, Worcestershire Rapids, Yorkshire.
The three Metro Bank One-Day Cup finals will be staged over the same weekend (September 19-20).
The Metro Bank One-Day Cup Women’s Competition final will again be hosted by the Utilita Bowl in Southampton on Saturday 19 September. On the following day both the Metro Bank One-Day Cup Men’s Final (Trent Bridge) and Metro Bank One-Day Cup Women’s League 2 Final (Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol) are scheduled to be played.
Toyota Disability Premier League
The Toyota DPL will enter its fifth season next year with Tridents looking to defend the title they won in a bowl-out against Pirates. It was the second DPL title for captain Liam O’Brien’s team and both teams will return to Loughborough on 5 July for a rematch.
The competition retains its three-weekend group-stage format – with each team playing twice each weekend – however instead of consecutive weekends the matchdays will be spread out across 7 June, 5 July and 6 September before the final on 17 September.
Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup
The unique cup competition, which was introduced last season, will see 37 counties looking to reach Finals Day on 29 August.
Twenty-eight counties enter the competition in the opening round before the nine Tier 1 counties are introduced in Round 3.
Two all-Tier 1 ties have been confirmed for Round 3 with The Blaze at home to Durham while Yorkshire will welcome Somerset. With Finals Day at Emirates Old Trafford last season’s champions Lancashire Thunder will have added incentive to retain their crown.
© Cricket World 2025
