Saudi Arabia is set to enter the franchise cricket landscape with its first-ever league, the Dunes League T20, launching in October. The tournament features a mix of retired and active players.
Over the past five years, Saudi Arabia has increasingly positioned itself as a major player in global sport, hosting high-profile football, tennis, and boxing events as part of its wider strategy to diversify its economy. The country's Public Investment Fund has also been instrumental in launching the breakaway LIV Golf, although reports suggest its funding is set to be withdrawn at the end of the current season.
Cricket, however, has seen a more gradual Saudi entry. The kingdom has previously engaged with the sport through sponsorship agreements with the International Cricket Council and by hosting the IPL auction in 2024 for the Indian Premier League. It has also partnered with the UAE's ILT20, while signing a long-term agreement to stage the FairBreak Women's T20 Challenge, although the inaugural edition has been postponed due to regional tensions in the Gulf.
The six-team Dunes T20 League is planned to be staged in Taif, near Jeddah. The project was developed in collaboration with the Sports Asian Network and two talent agencies—Unique Sports Group, which represents England fast bowler Jofra Archer, and Prolithic, which manages India's Abhishek Sharma. Prolithic's Yuvraj Singh will serve as the league's ambassador.
Saudi officials first outlined provisional plans for the league last year, stating that the initiative aims to place the kingdom "on the global cricket map" while also supporting the development of local talent. The league is expected to allow a maximum of four players who have represented full-member nations in the last two years, a structure designed to remain within International Cricket Council regulatory approval thresholds.
Top player salaries are expected to reach up to USD 100,000. The Dunes T20 League is set to launch in October and is scheduled to feature a mix of recently retired international cricketers alongside players still active in global franchise competitions.
