The biggest party in cricket returns to the Kia Oval, as the 2026 Vitality Blast is back in south London.
Unrivalled drama and electric atmosphere will be on the menu when the Home of T20 Cricket hosts five action-packed double headers, Women’s Finals Day, and the unmissable men’s London Derby.
The excitement will ‘Blast Off’ at the Kia Oval with a bumper double header against Lancashire (Fri, 22 May). Bryony Smith’s Surrey will begin the defence of their crown against Thunder, before Sam Curran’s team welcome their rivals from up north to SE11 for the first time in 21 years, for what will be only the fourth T20 outing between two heavyweights of English cricket.
Immediately afterwards, the bragging rights for London will be up for grabs when the men’s team venture across the river to face Middlesex at Lord’s (Sun, 24 May), while the women’s side travel up the country to take on the ninth and newest Tier 1 team, Yorkshire, at Headingley (Sun, 24 May).
Smith’s team will be back at home soon, going up against Durham (Weds, 27 May) in their only standalone fixture at the Kia Oval. Both Surrey teams will head down the M3 next for an away double header versus Hampshire Hawks in Southampton (Fri, May 29).
The Three Feathers will promptly return to Kennington to start a mega week of entertainment in south London. Sunday will see the Kia Oval host its second double header of the summer as the women play Somerset and the men welcome their London rivals, Kent Spitfires (Sun, 31 May).
The box-office men’s London Derby (Weds, 3 June) will roll on in the midweek as Curran’s team invite Middlesex for the return fixture. The two Surrey sides will be in action on the weekend again when the women’s team take on Essex Eagles and the men face off with Hampshire Hawks (Fri, 5 June).
After breaking for two rounds of red-ball and 50-over cricket, the Vitality Blast will return towards the end of June, with the ICC Women’s World Cup hosting three games at the Kia Oval, both Surrey sides spending some time on the road.
The women have trips scheduled to Edgbaston (Warwickshire Bears on Fri, 26 June), Taunton (Somerset on Sun, 28 June), Trent Bridge (The Blaze on Fri, 3 July), and Chelmsford (Essex Eagles on Sun, 5 July). In the same period, the men travel to Hove (Sussex on Fri, 26 June), Chelmsford (Essex Eagles on Weds, 1 July), and Bristol (Gloucestershire on Sat, 4 July).
July will signal the return of Vitality Blast action in south London with two more double headers lined up. Sussex Sharks will take on the men’s team under the lights after the women’s contest between Surrey and Warwickshire Bears in the afternoon (Weds, 8 July). The 12th and final group game (Sun, 12 July) for the Three Feathers will see Smith’s team welcome Hampshire Hawks before Curran’s men battle with Essex Eagles in front of the Surrey faithful.
Men’s final two home games are sandwiched by a short trip to Canterbury for the return fixture against Kent Spitfires (Fri, 10 July).
New for next summer, the men’s knockouts will follow immediately after a shorter Vitality Blast group stage, just like they did for the women’s competition in 2025.
The Kia Oval will once again take the spotlight for the Women’s Finals Day next year on Fri, 17 July, following the success of the inaugural showpiece event, where the Three Feathers lifted the trophy in front of a record attendance for a women’s county T20. In 2026 though, the grand finale will mirror the format of the men’s, allowing fans to experience more drama as the day will comprise three knockout matches – instead of only an eliminator and a final.
2026 men’s & women’s Vitality Blast fixtures:
DOUBLE HEADER: Fri, 22 May – Women & Men v Lancashire Thunder & Lightning, Kia Oval
Sun, 24 May – Yorkshire v Women, Headingley
Sun, 24 May – Middlesex v Men, Lord’s
Weds, 27 May – Women v Durham, Kia Oval
DOUBLE HEADER: Fri, 29 May – Hampshire Hawks v Women & Men, Southampton
DOUBLE HEADER: Sun, 31 May – Women v Somerset + Men v Kent Spitfires, Kia Oval
Weds, 3 June – Men v Middlesex, Kia Oval
DOUBLE HEADER: Fri, 5 June – Women v Essex Eagles + Men v Hampshire Hawks, Kia Oval
Fri, 26 June – Warwickshire Bears v Women, Edgbaston
Fri, 26 June – Sussex Sharks v Men, Hove
Sun, 28 June – Somerset v Women, Taunton
Weds, 1 July – Essex Eagles v Men, Chelmsford
Fri, 3 July – The Blaze v Women, Trent Bridge
Sat, 4 July – Gloucestershire v Men, Bristol
Sun, 5 July – Essex v Women, Chelmsford
DOUBLE HEADER: Weds, 8 July – Women v Warwickshire Bears + Men v Sussex Sharks, Kia Oval
Fri, 10 July – Kent v Men, Canterbury
DOUBLE HEADER: Sun, 12 July – Women v Hampshire Hawks + Men v Essex Eagles, Kia Oval
Fri, 17 July: Women’s Finals Day, Kia Oval
