The County Championship Division One 2026 season is set to showcase the very best of English red-ball cricket, with top counties competing for the most prestigious title in the domestic game.
With traditional heavyweights and ambitious challengers vying for the title, the competition once again serves as the ultimate test of consistency, depth and endurance in the longer format.
As rivals renew old battles and emerging talents look to make their mark, the campaign promises months of intense competition, tactical depth and defining performances in the longest format.
The County Championship teams look to balance youth and experience, the race for the Championship crown is set to unfold over months of intense, high-quality cricket.
County Championship Division One 2026 Schedule
As per the County Championship Division One 2026 Schedule, the first match will be played between Warwickshire and Surrey on April 03 at Birmingham, Edgbaston.
| Date | Match | Venue | Local | IST / GMT |
| Apr 03, 2026 | Warwickshire vs Surrey, 1st Match | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 03, 2026 | Hampshire vs Essex, 2nd Match | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 03, 2026 | Glamorgan vs Yorkshire, 3rd Match | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 03, 2026 | Leicestershire vs Sussex, 4th Match | Grace Road, Leicester | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 03, 2026 | Somerset vs Nottinghamshire, 5th Match | The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Essex vs Somerset, 6th Match | County Ground, Chelmsford | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Sussex vs Warwickshire, 7th Match | County Ground, Hove | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Yorkshire vs Hampshire, 8th Match | Headingley, Leeds | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Surrey vs Leicestershire, 9th Match | Kennington Oval, London | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Nottingham vs Glamorgan, 10th match | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Hampshire vs Somerset, 11th match | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Warwickshire vs Essex, 12th Match | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Nottingham vs Warwickshire, 13th Match | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Yorkshire vs Sussex, 14th match | Headingley, Leeds | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Surrey vs Essex, 15th Match | Kennington Oval, London | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Glamorgan vs Leicestershire, 16th Match | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 01, 2026 | Surrey vs Sussex, 17th Match | Kennington Oval, London | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 01, 2026 | Hampshire vs Glamorgan, 18th Match | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 01, 2026 | Somerset vs Yorkshire, 19th Match | The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 01, 2026 | Leicestershire vs Nottinghamshire, 20th Match | Grace Road, Leicester | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 08, 2026 | Essex vs Hampshire, 21st Match | County Ground, Chelmsford | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 08, 2026 | Warwickshire vs Yorkshire, 22nd Match | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 08, 2026 | Nottinghamshire vs Surrey, 23rd Match | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 08, 2026 | Glamorgan vs Somerset, 24th Match | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 08, 2026 | Sussex vs Leicestershire, 25th Match | County Ground, Hove | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 15, 2026 | Essex vs Leicestershire, 26th Match | County Ground, Chelmsford | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 15, 2026 | Hampshire vs Nottinghamshire, 27th Match | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 15, 2026 | Warwickshire vs Glamorgan, 28th Match | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 15, 2026 | Yorkshire vs Surrey, 29th Match | Headingley, Leeds | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| May 15, 2026 | Somerset vs Sussex, 30th Match | The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 07, 2026 | Surrey vs Hampshire, 31st Match | Kennington Oval, London | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Yorkshire vs Warwickshire, 32nd Match | North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Leicestershire vs Essex, 33rd Match | Grace Road, Leicester | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Sussex vs Glamorgan, 34th Match | County Ground, Hove | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Nottinghamshire vs Somerset, 35th Match | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 19, 2026 | Essex vs Nottinghamshire, 36th Match | County Ground, Chelmsford | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 19, 2026 | Leicestershire vs Yorkshire, 37th Match | Grace Road, Leicester | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 19, 2026 | Glamorgan vs Surrey, 38th Match | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 19, 2026 | Sussex vs Hampshire, 39th Match | County Ground, Hove | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Jun 19, 2026 | Somerset vs Warwickshire, 40th Match | The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 20, 2026 | Surrey vs Nottinghamshire, 41st Match | Kennington Oval, London | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 20, 2026 | Warwickshire vs Sussex, 42nd Match | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 20, 2026 | Leicestershire vs Glamorgan, 43rd Match | Grace Road, Leicester | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 20, 2026 | Somerset vs Essex, 44th Match | The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 20, 2026 | Hampshire vs Yorskhire, 45th Match | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Warwickshire vs Nottinghamshire, 46th Match | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Essex vs Surrey, 47th match | County Ground, Chelmsford | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Yorkshire vs Leicestershire, 48th Match | North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Glamorgan vs Hampshire, 49th Match | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Sussex vs Somerset, 50th Match | County Ground, Hove | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Essex vs Sussex, 51st Match | County Ground, Chelmsford | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Surrey vs Yorkshire, 52nd Match | Kennington Oval, London | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Nottinghamshire vs Leicestershire, 53rd Match | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Somerset vs Glamorgan, 54th Match | The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Hampshire vs Warwickshire, 55th Match | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 08, 2026 | Nottinghamshire vs Hampshire, 56th Match | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 08, 2026 | Yorkshire vs Essex, 57th Match | Headingley, Leeds | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 08, 2026 | Glamorgan vs Warwickshire, 58th Match | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 08, 2026 | Sussex vs Surrey, 59th Match | County Ground, Hove | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 08, 2026 | Leicestershire vs Somerset, 60th Match | Grace Road, Leicester | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Essex vs Warwickshire, 61st Match | County Ground, Chelmsford | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Leicestershire vs Hampshire, 62nd Match | Grace Road, Leicester | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Yorkshire vs Somerset, 63rd Match | Headingley, Leeds | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Surrey vs Glamorgan, 64th Match | Kennington Oval, London | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Sussex vs Nottinghamshire, 65th Match | County Ground, Hove | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 24, 2026 | Warwickshire vs Leicestershire, 66th Match | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 24, 2026 | Nottinghamshire vs Yorkshire, 67th Match | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 24, 2026 | Hampshire vs Sussex, 68th Match | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 24, 2026 | Glamorgan vs Essex, 69th Match | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
| Sep 24, 2026 | Somerset vs Surrey, 70th Match | The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton | 11:00 AM | 03:30 PM / 10:00 AM |
Also Read: County Championship Winners, Runner-up Since 1890
County Championship Division One 2026 Squad
Warwickshire
TBA
Surrey
TBA
Hampshire
TBA
Essex
TBA
Glamorgan
TBA
Yorkshire
TBA
Leicestershire
TBA
Sussex
TBA
Somerset
TBA
Nottinghamshire
TBA
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