ILT20 Reduces Team Salary Caps by 20% for 2025-26 Season

The International League T20 (ILT20) in the UAE is set to decrease team salary limits by 20% prior to the 2025-26 season. This adjustment will lower the maximum player compensation budget from USD 2.5 million to USD 2 million for each franchise, according to recent reports.

Reportedly, franchise proprietors felt they had previously spent excessively on athlete remuneration. Given that the schedule will no longer directly conflict with South Africa’s SA20 league, prominent players are anticipated to be available for somewhat smaller contracts.

The next ILT20 season is scheduled from December 2, 2025, to January 4, 2026, thereby preventing the comprehensive overlap with the SA20 that occurred during the league’s initial three seasons.

According to ILT20 Chief Executive David White, this modification is intended to broaden the selection of international participants and lessen direct competition for foreign talent.

In another noteworthy development, the ILT20 plans to implement a player auction system, transitioning away from its previous method of direct acquisitions.

The auction is provisionally planned for September 2025, and franchises are presently concentrating on handling their retention plans.

Teams will retain the ability to allocate an additional USD 250,000 for ‘wildcard’ player acquisitions.

The ILT20’s wage reduction, meanwhile, might have wider ramifications for the international T20 landscape.

The Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia, which has had trouble keeping top international players in recent years, frequently losing them to the ILT20, may gain from the UAE league’s reduced expenditure.

The BBL will be paying close attention as it gets ready for its own international player draft, in the hopes that ILT20’s financial correction will work in its favor.