When Will WCL Take Place In 2026? Will India-Pakistan Participate? – Here’s What We Know

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The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 concluded in grand style, with AB de Villiers delivering a breathtaking century to power South Africa Champions to a convincing nine-wicket victory over Pakistan Champions in the final at Edgbaston.

Now, with the second season wrapped up, fans are already looking ahead to what 2026 might hold for this exciting legends league.

South Africa chased down a challenging 196-run target with ease, thanks to de Villiers' unbeaten 120 off just 60 balls - his third century of the tournament. Jean-Paul Duminy (50*) partnered with him in an unbroken 145-run stand to seal the win. Earlier, Sharjeel Khan's explosive 76 and late fireworks from Umar Amin and Asif Ali helped Pakistan post 195/5. But the night belonged to de Villiers, whose scintillating form saw South Africa crowned champions.

With two highly successful seasons now in the books, expectations are already building for WCL 2026. Given the timing of the previous editions - both held in July - it is widely anticipated that the third season will also be scheduled around the same period next year.

However, the major talking point is whether traditional rivals India and Pakistan will both return, and more importantly, whether they will face each other. While both teams participated in WCL 2025, India pulled out twice from fixtures against Pakistan due to rising cross-border tensions following terror attacks in Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistani groups. The fallout has raised questions about future Indo-Pak clashes in privately run leagues like the WCL.

Initially, it was reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) introduced a new directive preventing the use of the term "Pakistan" for teams in unofficial leagues such as WCL following the controversy. But on 3rd August, 2025, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced a 'blanket ban' on its players' participation in future editions of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), accusing the organisers of "biased" conduct.

In a statement released after its 79th Board of Governors meeting, the PCB slammed the WCL's handling of the situation:

"The cancellation was not based on cricketing merit but on appeasing a specific nationalistic narrative."

The board also criticised the tournament for allowing political and commercial interests to interfere with cricket, calling the organisers' actions hypocritical:

"This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community."

Though the WCL issued an apology for "hurting sentiments," the PCB dismissed it as "farcical" and reaffirmed its stance:

"We cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics."

The PCB also clarified that it supports global cricket and sporting rivalries, but not at the cost of compromising the game's integrity.

This huge move could now see Pakistan's representation in WCL 2026 under serious threat.

While the senior Indian and Pakistani national sides are set to meet in the official Asia Cup 2025 next month in the UAE, the private league space remains clouded in uncertainty. While India Champions only has objections in facing Pakistan, they have no problems in featuring in the competition.