The County Championship Division One 2026 returns with 10 teams competing in England’s top red-ball cricket tournament. The season runs from 3 April to 27 September 2026, featuring 70 matches.
Defending champions Nottinghamshire begin their campaign against Somerset, while Leicestershire and Glamorgan return to Division One after promotion.
The season opens with Round 1 from April 3 to April 6, including key matches like Warwickshire vs Surrey and Hampshire vs Essex.
Each match will be played over four days, with rounds scheduled across the season leading to the final fixtures.
County Championship Division One 2026 Schedule
All 10 teams will play 70 matches in the 2026 County Championship Division One. The tournament will start on April 3 with the match between Warwickshire vs Surrey at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
| Date and Day | Match No. | Match | Venue | Time (Local) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, April 3 | 1st Match | Warwickshire vs Surrey | Birmingham, Edgbaston | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 3 | 2nd Match | Hampshire vs Essex | Southampton, The Rose Bowl | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 3 | 3rd Match | Glamorgan vs Yorkshire | Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 3 | 4th Match | Leicestershire vs Sussex | Leicester, Grace Road | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 3 | 5th Match | Somerset vs Nottinghamshire | Taunton, The Cooper Associates County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 10 | 6th Match | Essex vs Somerset | Chelmsford, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 10 | 7th Match | Sussex vs Warwickshire | Hove, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 10 | 8th Match | Yorkshire vs Hampshire | Leeds, Headingley | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 10 | 9th Match | Surrey vs Leicestershire | London, Kennington Oval | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 10 | 10th Match | Nottinghamshire vs Glamorgan | Nottingham, Trent Bridge | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 17 | 11th Match | Hampshire vs Somerset | Southampton, The Rose Bowl | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 17 | 12th Match | Warwickshire vs Essex | Birmingham, Edgbaston | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 24 | 13th Match | Nottinghamshire vs Warwickshire | Nottingham, Trent Bridge | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 24 | 14th Match | Yorkshire vs Sussex | Leeds, Headingley | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 24 | 15th Match | Surrey vs Essex | London, Kennington Oval | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, April 24 | 16th Match | Glamorgan vs Leicestershire | Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 1 | 17th Match | Surrey vs Sussex | London, Kennington Oval | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 1 | 18th Match | Hampshire vs Glamorgan | Southampton, The Rose Bowl | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 1 | 19th Match | Somerset vs Yorkshire | Taunton, The Cooper Associates County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 1 | 20th Match | Leicestershire vs Nottinghamshire | Leicester, Grace Road | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 8 | 21st Match | Essex vs Hampshire | Chelmsford, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 8 | 22nd Match | Warwickshire vs Yorkshire | Birmingham, Edgbaston | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 8 | 23rd Match | Nottinghamshire vs Surrey | Nottingham, Trent Bridge | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 8 | 24th Match | Glamorgan vs Somerset | Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 8 | 25th Match | Sussex vs Leicestershire | Hove, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 15 | 26th Match | Essex vs Leicestershire | Chelmsford, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 15 | 27th Match | Hampshire vs Nottinghamshire | Southampton, The Rose Bowl | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 15 | 28th Match | Warwickshire vs Glamorgan | Birmingham, Edgbaston | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 15 | 29th Match | Yorkshire vs Surrey | Leeds, Headingley | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, May 15 | 30th Match | Somerset vs Sussex | Taunton, The Cooper Associates County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Sunday, June 7 | 31st Match | Surrey vs Hampshire | London, Kennington Oval | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 12 | 32nd Match | Yorkshire vs Warwickshire | Scarborough, North Marine Road Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 12 | 33rd Match | Leicestershire vs Essex | Leicester, Grace Road | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 12 | 34th Match | Sussex vs Glamorgan | Hove, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 12 | 35th Match | Nottinghamshire vs Somerset | Nottingham, Trent Bridge | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 19 | 36th Match | Essex vs Nottinghamshire | Chelmsford, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 19 | 37th Match | Leicestershire vs Yorkshire | Leicester, Grace Road | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 19 | 38th Match | Glamorgan vs Surrey | Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 19 | 39th Match | Sussex vs Hampshire | Hove, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Friday, June 19 | 40th Match | Somerset vs Warwickshire | Taunton, The Cooper Associates County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 20 | 41st Match | Surrey vs Nottinghamshire | London, Kennington Oval | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 20 | 42nd Match | Warwickshire vs Sussex | Birmingham, Edgbaston | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 20 | 43rd Match | Leicestershire vs Glamorgan | Leicester, Grace Road | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 20 | 44th Match | Somerset vs Essex | Taunton, The Cooper Associates County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 20 | 45th Match | Hampshire vs Yorkshire | Southampton, The Rose Bowl | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 27 | 46th Match | Warwickshire vs Nottinghamshire | Birmingham, Edgbaston | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 27 | 47th Match | Essex vs Surrey | Chelmsford, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 27 | 48th Match | Yorkshire vs Leicestershire | Scarborough, North Marine Road Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 27 | 49th Match | Glamorgan vs Hampshire | Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, August 27 | 50th Match | Sussex vs Somerset | Hove, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Wednesday, September 2 | 51st Match | Essex vs Sussex | Chelmsford, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Wednesday, September 2 | 52nd Match | Surrey vs Yorkshire | London, Kennington Oval | 11:00 AM |
| Wednesday, September 2 | 53rd Match | Nottinghamshire vs Leicestershire | Nottingham, Trent Bridge | 11:00 AM |
| Wednesday, September 2 | 54th Match | Somerset vs Glamorgan | Taunton, The Cooper Associates County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Wednesday, September 2 | 55th Match | Hampshire vs Warwickshire | Southampton, The Rose Bowl | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 8 | 56th Match | Nottinghamshire vs Hampshire | Nottingham, Trent Bridge | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 8 | 57th Match | Yorkshire vs Essex | Leeds, Headingley | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 8 | 58th Match | Glamorgan vs Warwickshire | Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 8 | 59th Match | Sussex vs Surrey | Hove, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 8 | 60th Match | Leicestershire vs Somerset | Leicester, Grace Road | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 15 | 61st Match | Essex vs Warwickshire | Chelmsford, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 15 | 62nd Match | Leicestershire vs Hampshire | Leicester, Grace Road | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 15 | 63rd Match | Yorkshire vs Somerset | Leeds, Headingley | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 15 | 64th Match | Surrey vs Glamorgan | London, Kennington Oval | 11:00 AM |
| Tuesday, September 15 | 65th Match | Sussex vs Nottinghamshire | Hove, County Ground | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, September 24 | 66th Match | Warwickshire vs Leicestershire | Birmingham, Edgbaston | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, September 24 | 67th Match | Nottinghamshire vs Yorkshire | Nottingham, Trent Bridge | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, September 24 | 68th Match | Hampshire vs Sussex | Southampton, The Rose Bowl | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, September 24 | 69th Match | Glamorgan vs Essex | Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 11:00 AM |
| Thursday, September 24 | 70th Match | Somerset vs Surrey | Taunton, The Cooper Associates County Ground | 11:00 AM |
Format of County Championship Division One 2026
The 2026 County Championship season will be played across three scheduled blocks, with each county playing a total of 14 matches.
In the opening block, counties will play six matches over a seven-week period. All matches in this phase will begin on a Friday, maintaining a consistent schedule for the start of the season.
A mid-summer block will then take place in June, during which each county will play two additional matches.
The final block of the season will begin on 20 August, with every county playing six more matches to complete their campaign. The last round of the championship will start on 24 September, bringing the 2026 County Championship season to its conclusion.
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Where to Watch County Championship Division One 2026
County Championship matches can be watched on different platforms. Many county teams stream their matches live on their official YouTube channels, so fans can watch the games for free.
The official website ECB.co.uk will also show live scores, match updates, highlights, and links to watch the live stream. Some selected matches and highlights are also shown on Sky Sports, which is a paid broadcaster in the UK. These platforms help fans follow the County Championship throughout the season.
