The revamped Vitality Blast will launch with 16 double-headers over the Bank Holiday Weekend, marking the start of both the men’s and women’s competitions next season.
Somerset open their defence of the Vitality Blast Men’s title at home in a repeat of last year’s final, taking on Hampshire Hawks under the Friday night lights.
In the women’s competition, reigning champions Surrey host Lancashire Thunder, while elsewhere in London, Women’s League 2 winners Middlesex welcome Kent to Lord’s — all part of the opening day’s slate of double-headers.
Vitality Blast Women’s Competition champions Surrey are at home to Lancashire Thunder while across London, Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 champions Middlesex host Kent at Lord’s, with all three fixtures a part of opening day double-headers.
A total of 61 double headers will be played next season with both the men’s and women’s competitions revamped following this year’s county-led review, that will see a greater focus on derby rivalries, more matches in fan-friendly days and a more balanced schedule to support player performance.
The Vitality Blast Men’s Competition now consists of 12 group-stage matches, with three groups of six, which has allowed schedulers to place 80 per cent of group-stage fixtures in fan-friendly slots on a Friday, Sunday or a Bank Holiday.
The total number of back-to-back matches in the Vitality Blast Men’s Competition has been reduced to six – which is down from more than 50 two years ago – while there is just one in the Vitality Blast Women’s Competition.
Yorkshire will play in the Vitality Blast Women’s Competition for the first time, paving the way for a first-ever Roses double header at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday 10 July.
Forty-one of the 54 group-stage matches in the Vitality Blast Women’s Competition will be double headers, while 20 of the 36 Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 group-stage matches are set to be double headers.
The Vitality Blast Men’s Competition and Vitality Blast Women’s Competition group stage will conclude over ‘Finale Weekend’ (Friday 10 July – Sunday 12 July) with the men’s quarter-finals immediately following on Wednesday 15 July.
Vitality Blast Women’s Finals Day will mirror the men’s format – with two semi-finals and a final – and be played on Friday 17 July at the Kia Oval. Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day will follow the next day at EdgBLASTon.
Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 Finals Day will be staged at Sophia Gardens on Sunday 12 July.
Fans wishing to get in early and secure tickets to Vitality Blast 2026 can contact their local counties to see county membership, season ticket and hospitality availability.
ECB Managing Director, Competitions and Major Events, Neil Snowball, said: “The changes to the men’s and women’s Vitality Blast competitions for 2026 have been made in order to benefit fans and players alike. Every county will host a men’s and women’s double header, with 61 double-headers in total, while the significant reduction in back-to-back games gives players more opportunity to perform at their very best throughout the competition.
“The narrative of both competitions will also be easier to follow with the knockout stages following on immediately after the group stages, culminating in a true celebration of T20 Cricket with the women’s and men’s Vitality Blast Finals Days being hosted at The Kia Oval and Edgbaston on consecutive days.”
PCA Chief Executive, Daryl Mitchell, said: “Throughout the past 12 months, the PCA has worked tirelessly alongside the professional game to improve standards for players across all formats. The Vitality Blast competitions for 2026 highlight considerable improvements with a real energy injected into them.
“Players want to be at their optimum levels to perform at their best in county cricket’s flagship T20 competition and a significant reduction of back-to-back fixtures across the men’s and women’s Blast, alongside more men’s and women’s double headers and reduced travel in the men’s game will allow this.”
Vitality Blast Men’s Competition
A: Derbyshire Falcons, Durham, Lancashire Lightning, Leicestershire Foxes, Notts Outlaws, Yorkshire.
B: Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Somerset, Warwickshire Bears, Worcestershire Rapids.
C: Essex, Kent Spitfires, Hampshire Hawks, Middlesex, Surrey, Sussex Sharks.
Format:
Each county will play 12 group-stage matches – six at home and six away. Counties will play the other five counties in their group home and away, in addition to one home match against a county outside their group and one away match against another county from outside their group.
Quarter-finals:
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals in addition to two best third-placed teams. The winners of each quarter-final qualify for Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day.
First matches
Following the changes to the group-stage format, where counties will play two other counties from outside their group – there will be three matches where counties have never played each other before in the Vitality Blast Men’s Competition.
Those matches are:
Yorkshire v Gloucesterhire – Sunday 31 May, Headingley.
Sussex Sharks v Leicestershire Foxes – Friday 5 June, The 1st Central County Ground, Hove.
Worcestershire Rapids v Kent Spitfires – Friday 3 July, Visit Worcestershire New Road.
Vitality Blast Women’s Competitions
The required majority of the 18 PCCs voted to reduce the number of Vitality Blast Women’s Competition (Tier 1) group-stage matches from 14 to 12 for next season.
The vote was not tied to the outcome of the vote on the Vitality Blast Men’s Competition. It was also agreed that the women’s Vitality Blast Finals Day (Tier 1) will be expanded to include two semi-finals and a final.
The Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 (Tier 2) will maintain eight group-stage matches, but move to a single group – changing from North and South Groups in 2025 – with a three-team Finals Day.
Vitality Blast Women’s Competition (Tier 1)
Group: Durham, Essex, Hampshire Hawks, Lancashire Thunder, Somerset, Surrey, The Blaze, Warwickshire Bears, Yorkshire.
Group-stage matches
Each county will play 12 group-stage matches – six home and six away. They will play four counties twice and four counties once.
Knockout stage
The top four counties at the end of the group stage will progress to women’s Vitality Blast Women’s Finals Day, which will include two semi-finals and the Final.
Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 (Tier 2)
Group: Derbyshire Falcons, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire Foxes, Middlesex, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Sussex Sharks, Worcestershire Rapids.
Group-stage matches
Each county will play eight group-stage matches – four home and four away. They will play each county either home or away.
Knockout stage
The top three counties at the end of the group stage will progress to Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 Finals Day, which will include an Eliminator and Final.
© Cricket World 2025
