The 12th season of the Celebrity Cricket League has never been closer to happening. Moving beyond mere competition, the CCL 2026 has entered a realm of competition, providing a complete advantage where the eight participating nations will compete to win a maximum of ₹7.5 million in prize shares.
The winners this season will take home ₹5 million in prizes, according to the organizers, and the runners-up will receive ₹2.5 million. The shift towards higher-stakes incentives marks a significant turning point in league history, as the league becomes a more commercial sports-entertainment property.
Reshuffle of schedules: Dates and venues
Although reports indicated this was getting underway early, the final schedule states that CCL 2026 will formally begin on January 16, 2026. The tournament is a three-week condensed event to ensure high-intensity action for supporters.
Main Changes in Schedule for 2026
- Updated Venues: Originally, we had planned to have both Madurai and Mysuru as primary hosts, but recently there has been an update with Vizag replacing Mysuru for the opening weekend.
- Format: Each team will only be able to play three group stage matches. The top four teams will qualify based on points and NRR.
- Grand Finale: On February 1, 2026, Hyderabad will host the finals of the Indian Indian Summer Championship.
8 Contenders: Teams to watch
It is back to eight teams after the Kerala Strikers returned after being absent for Season 11 of the league.
| Team Name | Industry | Captain |
| Punjab De Sher | Punjabi (Pollywood) | Sonu Sood |
| Telugu Warriors | Telugu (Tollywood) | Akhil Akkineni |
| Karnataka Bulldozers | Kannada (Sandalwood) | Kiccha Sudeep |
| Chennai Kings | Tamil (Kollywood) | Arya |
| Mumbai Heroes | Hindi (Bollywood) | Riteish Deshmukh |
| Bengal Tigers | Bengali (Tollywood) | Jisshu Sengupta |
| Kerala Strikers | Malayalam (Mollywood) | Unni Mukundan |
| Bhojpuri Dabbangs | Bhojpuri (Bhojiwood) | Manoj Tiwari |
The Telugu Warriors remain the best franchise in history, having won 4 titles, with Chennai Kings (formerly Chennai Rhinos) trailing and Karnataka Bulldozers coming second, each with 2 titles. The champion after their last victory, Punjab De Sher enters the tournament as the reigning title holder in 2025.
The Different Format: T20 in 'Test' Style. Underneath CCL is a unique format, and games are played in a T20 style — though with a twist — that continues to fascinate fans. Every game lasts two innings each. It's only 10 overs long in each inning. This gives the game its fast pace, tactical shiftability between the two halves of the game. Even after the 10-over innings, the total game has the same duration as a traditional T20, offering twice the chance for “star moments” on the field.
A New Identity for Chennai
Fans will start noticing a brand shift for the Tamil Nadu-based team. Once known as the Chennai Rhinos, for season 12, the team has been rebranded again as the Vels Chennai Kings, backed again by the actor Arya.
With the January 16 opening clash between Punjab De Sher and Karnataka Bulldozers in Vizag approaching, the convergence of cinema and cricket looks set to ignite screens across the country once again.
