By Zainab Shafiq 
In a surprising turn for international franchise cricket, IPL teams excluded from World Club Championship headlines the narrative surrounding the much-anticipated reboot of the Champions League T20, now rebranded as the World Club Championship, scheduled to launch in 2026.
Despite the backing of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), none of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises, including reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, will take part in the inaugural edition. Industry sources reveal that the decision reflects deeper strategic considerations, not the least of which is a growing race to establish dominance ahead of an impending Saudi-backed T20 league.
The IPL teams excluded from World Club Championship decision has raised eyebrows, especially given that India remains a powerhouse in global franchise cricket. According to insiders, BCCI’s absence in the first edition is not due to a lack of interest but rather due to calculated timing and possible alignment with future commercial interests.
PSL Also Misses Out on Global Stage
Adding to the list of no-shows, Pakistan’s PSL franchises will also not feature in the championship’s first edition. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly failed to respond to an invitation to participate in discussions in London regarding the tournament structure. As a result, current PSL titleholders Lahore Qalandars are also set to watch from the sidelines.
Meanwhile, the World Club Championship will feature five to six teams from established leagues like Australia’s Big Bash League, the UK’s The Hundred, UAE’s ILT20, South Africa’s SA20, the USA’s Major League Cricket (MLC), and the Caribbean Premier League. These leagues are expected to form the core group of the tournament’s founding participants.
According to cricket insiders, this accelerated launch aims to outpace the rumored Saudi T20 project — an ambitious endeavor said to have a $400 million war chest and a format modeled after Tennis Grand Slams. By moving swiftly, the ECB and BCCI are reportedly hoping to maintain control over the franchise T20 ecosystem.
For now, IPL teams excluded from World Club Championship sends a clear signal: the chessboard of global T20 cricket is being rapidly rearranged, and not everyone is taking their seat at the table.
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