WCL Season 3 Schedule 2026: Fixtures, Dates, Venues
The World Championship of Legends (WCL) Season 3 starts on Saturday, 3 October 2026 in the United Arab Emirates. The 24-match tournament runs through 18 October at Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Published 12 September 2026 · Schedule checked against the announced fixture list
Seven teams will compete, with Bangladesh Champions joining for the first time and South Africa Champions defending the title. The headline league fixture places India Champions against Pakistan Champions in Dubai on 10 October.
WCL Season 3: everything you need to know
WCL is a T20 competition featuring retired international cricketers in national Champions teams. Season 3 brings India Champions, Pakistan Champions, Australia Champions, England Champions, South Africa Champions, West Indies Champions and newcomers Bangladesh Champions to the UAE.
The league stage contains 21 round-robin matches. Every team faces each of the other six once, followed by two semi-finals on 16 October and the final on 18 October. Sharjah hosts 18 matches, including all three knockout games, while Dubai stages six league fixtures from 9 to 11 October.
Why UAE? WCL leaves the UK for the first time
The first two WCL seasons were played in England. Moving Season 3 to Dubai and Sharjah gives the competition evening-friendly start times for audiences across South Asia while placing it in a region with an established record of staging international cricket.
WCL said Season 2 reached a global audience of 425 million. That figure comes from the tournament’s own announcement and has not been independently audited by this publication. The UAE move shows how the organisers intend to turn that reach into a broader live-event audience.
Seven teams, one trophy: the WCL Season 3 field
South Africa Champions arrive as defending champions after AB de Villiers powered their 2025 title run. India Champions, led by the enduring appeal of Yuvraj Singh, won the inaugural edition in 2024. Pakistan Champions, associated with Shahid Afridi and two consecutive final appearances, are still seeking their first title.
David Warner is set to make his WCL debut for Australia Champions, whose first match is against India Champions on opening day. Moeen Ali is among the headline names for England Champions, while Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo bring West Indian power to West Indies Champions.
Bangladesh Champions expand the field to seven teams. Former Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad and Mohammad Ashraful headline the reported roster, but a tournament squad is not the same as a confirmed playing XI. Match-day lineups will only be known after the toss.
Full WCL Season 3 schedule 2026: fixtures, dates and venues
The standard match windows are 3:30 PM UAE time, which is 5:00 PM IST, and 7:30 PM UAE time, which is 9:00 PM IST. The complete interactive WCL 2026 schedule also converts every start time for Pakistan, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom and the reader’s local timezone.
| Date | Day | 3:30 PM UAE / 5:00 PM IST | 7:30 PM UAE / 9:00 PM IST | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct | Saturday | India vs Australia | Pakistan vs Bangladesh | Sharjah |
| 4 Oct | Sunday | South Africa vs West Indies | India vs England | Sharjah |
| 5 Oct | Monday | Australia vs Pakistan | Bangladesh vs England | Sharjah |
| 6 Oct | Tuesday | India vs South Africa | Pakistan vs West Indies | Sharjah |
| 7 Oct | Wednesday | Australia vs Bangladesh | England vs West Indies | Sharjah |
| 9 Oct | Friday | Australia vs South Africa | Bangladesh vs West Indies | Dubai |
| 10 Oct | Saturday | England vs South Africa | India vs Pakistan | Dubai |
| 11 Oct | Sunday | Australia vs West Indies | India vs Bangladesh | Dubai |
| 12 Oct | Monday | — | Pakistan vs South Africa | Sharjah |
| 13 Oct | Tuesday | Australia vs England | India vs West Indies | Sharjah |
| 14 Oct | Wednesday | England vs Pakistan | Bangladesh vs South Africa | Sharjah |
| 16 Oct | Friday | Semi-final 1 | Semi-final 2 | Sharjah |
| 18 Oct | Sunday | Grand final | — | Sharjah |
India vs Pakistan on October 10: will the match go ahead?
The 10 October fixture is scheduled for 7:30 PM UAE time at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It carries unusual uncertainty because India Champions did not take the field against Pakistan Champions in either of their scheduled meetings during the 2025 tournament.
The first 2025 match was a league fixture at Edgbaston. Indian players withdrew amid heightened India–Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s Operation Sindoor. The teams were paired again in a semi-final, but India Champions declined to play and Pakistan Champions advanced to the final without a ball being bowled.
The 2026 schedule restores the rivalry, but a published fixture does not guarantee that circumstances cannot change. Fans should use the dedicated India Champions vs Pakistan Champions match page for confirmed team news, lineup status and any official update close to 10 October.
India Champions’ WCL 2026 campaign at a glance
India Champions open against Australia Champions in Sharjah on 3 October, then play England Champions on 4 October and defending champions South Africa Champions on 6 October. Their campaign moves to Dubai for Pakistan Champions on 10 October and Bangladesh Champions on 11 October.
The final league match is against West Indies Champions in Sharjah on 13 October. A semi-final on 16 October and the grand final on 18 October are possible only if India Champions qualify. The India Champions team guide tracks squad and availability updates.
What to expect from WCL Season 3
Harshit Tomar, Founder and CEO of the World Championship of Legends, described the UAE edition as a meeting point for major rivalries and famous players. In the tournament announcement, he said the organisers want to give supporters memorable cricket and entertainment in WCL’s first season outside Britain.
Ajay Devgn, co-owner of the league, framed WCL as a mix of sporting emotion, nostalgia and entertainment, and called Season 3 its boldest edition. That ambition will be tested across 11 league double-headers, one single-match day and three knockout fixtures.
The first competitive answers arrive in Sharjah on 3 October, when India Champions face Warner’s Australia Champions and Pakistan Champions meet debutants Bangladesh Champions. Squad announcements, ticket details and confirmed broadcast rights should be checked separately as the tournament approaches.
Frequently asked questions about WCL Season 3 2026
When does WCL Season 3 start?
WCL Season 3 begins on Saturday, 3 October 2026. India Champions play Australia Champions in the opening match at 3:30 PM UAE time in Sharjah, followed by Pakistan Champions against Bangladesh Champions at 7:30 PM UAE time.
Where is WCL Season 3 being held?
The third World Championship of Legends season will be played in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai International Cricket Stadium hosts six matches, while Sharjah Cricket Stadium hosts 18 matches, including both semi-finals and the grand final.
When is India Champions vs Pakistan Champions in WCL 2026?
India Champions are scheduled to face Pakistan Champions on Saturday, 10 October 2026 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The match starts at 7:30 PM UAE time and 9:00 PM IST, subject to any subsequent official change.
Who won WCL Season 2?
South Africa Champions won WCL Season 2 in 2025. They defeated Pakistan Champions by nine wickets in the final at Edgbaston, with AB de Villiers scoring an unbeaten 120 from 60 balls during the successful chase.
Is this the first WCL season outside the UK?
Yes. England hosted the first two editions of the World Championship of Legends in 2024 and 2025. Season 3 is the competition’s first UAE edition and its first tournament staged outside the United Kingdom.
Which new team is joining WCL Season 3?
Bangladesh Champions join the World Championship of Legends for the first time in Season 3. Their arrival increases the field from six to seven teams and creates six new league matchups, starting against Pakistan Champions on opening day.
Who is making a WCL debut in Season 3?
David Warner is set to make his World Championship of Legends debut for Australia Champions. Australia’s first scheduled match is against India Champions at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 3 October at 3:30 PM UAE time.
How many matches are in WCL Season 3?
WCL Season 3 contains 24 matches: 21 round-robin league fixtures, two semi-finals and one grand final. Dubai hosts six league games, while Sharjah hosts 18 matches and all three knockout fixtures.
Sources and editorial note
Dates, start times and venues follow the announced WCL Season 3 fixture list. Tournament background, named headline players, audience figures and organiser comments were cross-checked against the official World Championship of Legends website and its distributed announcement. This independent article will be corrected if the organisers revise a fixture or player status.