The Hundred 2026 is upon us, and with it, a host of changes and new developments that promise to make this year's competition even more exciting. Since the 2025 edition concluded, the competition has undergone a significant transformation, with new ownership and investment bringing about a fresh era for the eight teams. The influx of new owners has led to a rebranding of three teams, with the Northern Superchargers becoming Sunrisers Leeds, the Oval Invincibles now known as MI London, and the Manchester Originals transforming into the Manchester Super Giants. These changes have also extended to the teams' badges and kits, with MI London and Sunrisers Leeds updating their color schemes to blue and gold, and orange and black, respectively. While the Southern Brave have retained their name, they have switched their color scheme from green and black to blue and red. The Trent Rockets, Welsh Fire, and Birmingham Phoenix have remained relatively unchanged, with only minor adjustments to their badges and shirt color schemes. The player auction, which took place in March, saw a significant increase in investment, with teams allowed to pre-sign up to four players each. England white ball captain Harry Brook was the most expensive signing, staying at Sunrisers Leeds for £460,000. England white ball batter Phil Salt signed for Welsh Fire in a £450,000 move, while England fast bowler Jofra Archer remains at Southern Brave, having been picked up for £400,000. The auction also saw England all-rounder James Coles break the record for most expensive Hundred signing from the auction when joining London Spirit for £390,000. In the women's competition, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and Lauren Bell were the joint-most expensive retention signings at £140,000 each. All-rounder Sciver-Brunt is staying with the Trent Rockets, with Lauren Bell staying at Southern Brave. England all-rounder Alice Capsey has joined Birmingham Phoenix, having been sold for £130,000 in the retentions round. Following a one-year break from the competition, India batter Smriti Mandhana has joined Manchester Super Giants for £90,000. New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine and Australia wicket-keeper Beth Mooney both recorded the most expensive women's signings, joining the Welsh Fire and Trent Rockets respectively for £210,000 each. The coverage of The Hundred 2026 on BBC TV promises to be extensive, with 16 matches live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, and ball-by-ball audio commentary on all 68 matches on BBC Sounds. New faces include England Test opener Emilio Gay and seamer Mark Wood, while former India batter Ajinkya Rahane and New Zealand wicketkeeper Katey Martin will also be involved. World Cup-winners Tymal Mills, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Dawid Malan, Amanda Jade-Wellington, and Carlos Brathwaite will also be part of the coverage. The competition is set to begin on July 21, with the women's competition between MI London and Sunrisers Leeds at The Oval, followed by the men's competition later that evening. Daily matches will run until August 12, with the eliminator taking place on August 14, and the finals on August 16 at Lord's. The Hundred 2026 is shaping up to be a thrilling edition of the competition, with new ownership, investment, and players bringing fresh energy and excitement to the tournament. The changes and developments are a testament to the competition's commitment to innovation and growth, and the future looks bright for The Hundred as it continues to evolve and captivate fans around the world.
