Saudi Arabia to Launch New T20 Franchise League Dunes

Saudi Arabia is set to host its first-ever franchise cricket league in October this year. The tournament, named the “Dunes League T20,” has been officially sanctioned by the Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation (SACF). The league is expected to feature several star cricketers who have retired from international cricket but remain active in franchise tournaments around the world.

Over the last five years, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a major investor in global sports. As part of its efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil, the kingdom has hosted high-profile football, tennis, and boxing events. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) also launched the LIV Golf tour, although it recently announced plans to withdraw funding after the current season.

For the past three years, there have been widespread rumours that Saudi Arabia could enter the cricket world with a major T20 league capable of rivaling the IPL. Last year, there was also speculation regarding Saudi investment in a proposed Grand Slam-style T20 circuit put forward by the Australian Cricketers’ Association.

Saudi Arabia’s involvement in cricket, however, has grown gradually. The country has signed sponsorship agreements with the ICC, hosted the IPL auction in 2024, and partnered with the UAE’s ILT20 league. Saudi Arabia has also signed a long-term agreement to host the FairBreak Women’s T20 Challenge, though the inaugural edition has been postponed due to conflict in the Gulf region.

The six-team Dunes T20 League is scheduled to be held in Taif, near Jeddah. The tournament has been developed in partnership with the South Asian Network and two talent management agencies. Unique Sports Group, which represents players including Jofra Archer, and Prolithic, which manages Indian batter Abhishek Sharma, are both involved in the project. Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh will serve as the league’s ambassador on behalf of Prolithic.

The SACF first announced provisional plans for the league late last year. At the time, officials said the tournament was designed to place Saudi Arabia “on the global cricket map” while also helping develop local cricketing talent.

According to reports, each team will be allowed a maximum of four players who have represented Full-Member nations in international cricket within the last two years. This structure keeps the league below the threshold requiring special ICC approval. Top player salaries are expected to reach as much as USD 100,000.