WCC and Dongyuehui Sports to Launch China’s First Eight-Team Legends T20 League

The landscape of global cricket is set for a significant expansion as the World Championship of Cricket (WCC) and Dongyuehui Sports prepare to launch the country's first world-class eight-team Legends T20 franchise league. Scheduled for May 2027, the tournament will be hosted at the Shaxi Town Cricket Centre in Taicang, Jiangsu Province. This initiative follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two organizations in October 2026, marking a strategic effort to establish a permanent footprint for the sport in China.

The growth of franchise cricket

As the popularity of franchise cricket continues to grow internationally, this new project aims to introduce the excitement of the game to a wider Chinese audience. The organizers are positioning the league as a platform to inspire the next generation of players and fans. By bringing together celebrated former international stars who have competed at the highest levels, including the ICC Cricket World Cup, the league intends to provide local talent with the opportunity to observe and learn from some of the most accomplished figures in the sport's history.

The WCC and Dongyuehui Sports will launch China's first eight-team Legends T20 franchise league in May 2027.

The project is backed by the expertise of WCC, which has previously managed international franchise sports competitions such as the World Tennis League, Stars Golf League, and World Padel League. Praveen Sharma, Chairman of WCC, and Yonghui Tong, Chairman of Dongyuehui Sports, have emphasized that this collaboration is designed to create a lasting legacy. The league is structured to attract private investors and investment funds, offering opportunities for team ownership and commercial partnerships within one of the world's largest consumer markets.

Organizers see this as more than a one-off event; it is a long-term commitment to fan growth and professional development. For China, the timing aligns with the International Cricket Council's focus on new growth markets and the sport's upcoming inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, which has provided additional momentum to these expansion plans.

Why it matters

This development represents a major milestone in cricket’s global expansion, potentially transforming China into a destination for international sporting events. By establishing the Shaxi Town Cricket Centre as a premier venue, the league aims to lift interest and participation in the game. For fans and stakeholders in South Asia and beyond, this move signals a broader effort to make cricket a truly global sport, opening new avenues for commercial investment and cultural exchange through the game.