The 2026 County Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Rothesay County Championship 2026, was the 126th cricket County Championship season in England and Wales. As in 2025, Division One had ten teams and Division Two had eight teams. The season began on 3 April and ended on 27 September 2026. Nottinghamshire were the defending champions. Warwickshire won the title for the ninth time in the club's history.
Teams The teams were split based on the finishing positions in the 2025 season. The following teams will take part in the County Championship. Division One teams TeamPrimary home groundCaptainCoachEssexCounty Ground, ChelmsfordTom Westley Chris Silverwood GlamorganSophia Gardens, CardiffKiran CarlsonRichard DawsonHampshireRose Bowl, SouthamptonBen BrownRussell DomingoLeicestershireGrace Road, LeicesterIan HollandAlfonso ThomasNottinghamshireTrent Bridge, NottinghamHaseeb HameedPeter MooresSomersetCounty Ground, TauntonLewis GregoryJason KerrSurreyThe Oval, LondonRory BurnsGareth BattySussexCounty Ground, HoveOllie RobinsonPaul FarbraceWarwickshireEdgbaston, BirminghamEd BarnardIan WestwoodYorkshireHeadingley, LeedsJonny BairstowAnthony McGrath Team promoted from Division Two in 2025
Division Two teams TeamPrimary home groundCaptainCoachDerbyshireCounty Ground, DerbyWayne MadsenMickey ArthurDurhamRiverside Ground, Chester-le-StreetAlex LeesRyan CampbellGloucestershireCounty Ground, BristolCameron BancroftMark AlleyneKentSt Lawrence Ground, CanterburyDaniel Bell-DrummondAdam HollioakeLancashireOld Trafford, ManchesterJames AndersonSteven CroftMiddlesexLord's, LondonLeus du PlooyPeter FultonNorthamptonshireCounty Ground, NorthamptonLuke ProcterDarren LehmannWorcestershireNew Road, WorcesterBrett D'OliveiraAlan Richardson Team relegated from Division One in 2025
Standings Division One
Sussex were deducted 12 points after agreeing to a financial support package from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Leicestershire were deducted 27 points for a breach of ECB pitch regulations in their game against Glamorgan in August.
Division Two
Division One fixtures April
May
June
August
September
Division Two fixtures April
May
June
August
September
Notes
References
External links