The World Club Championship is back in 2026, the first since the Champions League T20 was scrapped in 2015, and involves the winners of major T20 leagues worldwide. The world event will include champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), Big Bash League (BBL), SA20, and The Hundred as they compete to be the best franchise team in cricket.

Champions League T20 was an international Twenty20 cricket tournament held between 2009 and 2015, which involved the best teams of T20 leagues worldwide. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have won two titles each, with the latter winning the latest in 2014. The competition ended in 2015 after falling TV audiences, sponsor problems, and uneven contests dominated by IPL clubs.

The current T20 cricket scene is very different compared to 2015. The PSL was introduced in 2016 and has given good teams with good quality players. The Big Bash League in Australia has good television ratings. The SA20 in South Africa began the year 2023 on a good note. The Hundred in England started in 2021 and recruits big international names. These leagues now have steady income and fans worldwide, fixing the money issues that killed the original CLT20.

Details about the tournament structure and teams remain unconfirmed, though league champions appear set to participate. The ECB will likely send The Hundred winners instead of T20 Blast champions, showing cricket boards favor their main T20 tournaments for international visibility. The number of teams that will be involved is not yet announced and the selection criteria is not yet described.

The tournament's comeback demonstrates cricket's commercial expansion and global presence. This edition will feature enhanced broadcasting, improved promotional tactics, and a broader international audience than the original format. Successful collaborations between leagues and T20 cricket's growing appeal suggest the World Club Championship may emerge as cricket's premier club competition.

Cricketers will play at the highest level, displaying their skills against the best in the world. Domestic league star players can demonstrate their skills on the international level playing not in the national teams but in the franchise teams. This creates split loyalties between club commitments and national pride, adding new drama to the competition.

The 2026 World Club Championship comeback represents a key point in cricket's development, set to provide the inter-league clashes supporters have wanted while creating a new standard for worldwide T20 competition.