How to watch Major League Cricket 2026 for free

Major League Cricket returns for its fourth season, running from June 18 to July 18, 2026. The tournament features all six franchises from last year's competition, with MI New York entering as defending champions after their five-run victory over Washington Freedom in the MLC 2025 final. Thirty-four T20 matches are scheduled across three US venues in Texas and California, finishing with the final at Oakland Coliseum on July 18 – the first time the decider will be held there.

This season also marks the debut of Knight Riders Cricket Field at Fairplex in Pomona, California, a brand-new venue replacing Fort Lauderdale's Broward County Stadium. With six competitive franchises, key international players across all squads, and the MLC 2025 final rematch scheduled for June 20, the 2026 season has plenty of stakes from the opening round.

Where to watch Major League Cricket 2026

Country	Streaming service	Price	Notes
United States	Willow TV	Subscription required	Official US broadcaster; all matches
Canada	Willow TV	Subscription required	Official broadcaster for Canada
Australia	7plus	Free	Free to air via Seven Network; all matches
United Kingdom	Sky Sports / NOW	Subscription required	NOW available without a full Sky subscription
Ireland	Sky Sports / NOW	Subscription required	Same Sky Sports deal as UK
India	JioHotstar	Subscription required	Star Sports carries the TV broadcast

How to watch Major League Cricket 2026 for free with a VPN

7plus carries every MLC 2026 match live and on demand in Australia, completely free and ad-supported. Outside Australia, the stream is geo-restricted, but a VPN with an Australian server unlocks it from anywhere in the world.

1. Choose a VPN. We recommend NordVPN for streaming MLC 2026. It retained 86% of base connection speed in Cybernews testing using the NordLynx protocol, covers Australian server locations, and includes Smart DNS for smart TVs that don't support native VPN apps.
2. Download and install the app. NordVPN apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and several TV platforms.
3. Connect to an Australian server. Open the app and select a server in Australia. This gives you an Australian IP address that 7plus recognizes.
4. Go to 7plus.com.au. Create a free account with a valid email address if you don't already have one.
5. Find the MLC 2026 live stream. Browse the sport section or search for Major League Cricket to find the current or upcoming match.

Check out NordVPN deals

Why you need a VPN to watch Major League Cricket 2026

The only confirmed free live streaming option for MLC 2026 is 7plus, Australia's Seven Network platform. The service requires no subscription and streams every match, but it is geo-restricted to Australian IP addresses. Attempting to access it from the United States, United Kingdom, or anywhere outside Australia will result in a blocked stream.

This restriction exists because broadcasters only hold rights to show content in specific territories. A VPN changes your apparent location by routing your connection through a server in Australia, giving you an Australian IP address that 7plus accepts. This is particularly useful for Australian fans traveling during the June 18 to July 18 tournament window who want to keep watching on their usual platform.

For a full breakdown of the best options, see our guide to the best VPNs for streaming.

Major League Cricket 2026 schedule

MLC 2026 runs 34 matches across four venue phases, followed by playoffs. Matches are expected to start at approximately 7:30 PM local time, in line with previous MLC seasons. Exact start times are to be confirmed by the league. All times below are approximate.

Quick time zone reference:

• Dallas matches (CDT, UTC-5): ~8:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM PT / 1:30 AM BST / 10:30 AM AEST
• Oakland and Pomona matches (PDT, UTC-7): ~10:30 PM ET / 7:30 PM PT / 3:30 AM BST / 12:30 PM AEST

Phase 1: Dallas leg (June 18-21)

Match	Date	Teams	Approx. ET
Match 1	June 18	Texas Super Kings vs Seattle Orcas	8:30 PM ET
Match 2	June 19	LA Knight Riders vs San Francisco Unicorns	8:30 PM ET
Match 3	June 19	Seattle Orcas vs Washington Freedom	8:30 PM ET
Match 4	June 20	Texas Super Kings vs San Francisco Unicorns	8:30 PM ET
Match 5	June 20	Washington Freedom vs MI New York	8:30 PM ET
Match 6	June 21	Seattle Orcas vs LA Knight Riders	8:30 PM ET
Match 7	June 21	Texas Super Kings vs MI New York	8:30 PM ET

Match 5 on June 20 is the standout clash of Phase 1 – a direct rematch of the MLC 2025 final between Washington Freedom and defending champions MI New York.

Phase 2: Oakland leg (June 24-28)

Match	Date	Teams	Approx. ET
Match 8	June 24	San Francisco Unicorns vs Texas Super Kings	10:30 PM ET
Match 9	June 25	Washington Freedom vs Seattle Orcas	10:30 PM ET
Match 10	June 26	MI New York vs Texas Super Kings	10:30 PM ET
Match 11	June 26	San Francisco Unicorns vs Seattle Orcas	10:30 PM ET
Match 12	June 27	MI New York vs LA Knight Riders	10:30 PM ET
Match 13	June 27	Washington Freedom vs Texas Super Kings	10:30 PM ET
Match 14	June 28	LA Knight Riders vs Seattle Orcas	10:30 PM ET
Match 15	June 28	San Francisco Unicorns vs Washington Freedom	10:30 PM ET

Phase 3: Pomona leg (July 1-5)

Pomona's Knight Riders Cricket Field at Fairplex makes its MLC debut this phase, hosting seven matches including two on July 4.

Match	Date	Teams	Approx. ET
Match 16	July 1	LA Knight Riders vs Washington Freedom	10:30 PM ET
Match 17	July 2	Seattle Orcas vs MI New York	10:30 PM ET
Match 18	July 3	LA Knight Riders vs Texas Super Kings	10:30 PM ET
Match 19	July 4	Washington Freedom vs San Francisco Unicorns	10:30 PM ET
Match 20	July 4	LA Knight Riders vs MI New York	10:30 PM ET
Match 21	July 5	Seattle Orcas vs Texas Super Kings	10:30 PM ET
Match 22	July 5	San Francisco Unicorns vs MI New York	10:30 PM ET

Phase 4: Dallas return leg (July 8-12)

The final round of league matches determines playoff seeding. Every game carries direct qualification implications.

Match	Date	Teams	Approx. ET
Match 23	July 8	MI New York vs San Francisco Unicorns	8:30 PM ET
Match 24	July 9	Washington Freedom vs LA Knight Riders	8:30 PM ET
Match 25	July 10	MI New York vs Seattle Orcas	8:30 PM ET
Match 26	July 10	San Francisco Unicorns vs LA Knight Riders	8:30 PM ET
Match 27	July 11	Texas Super Kings vs Washington Freedom	8:30 PM ET
Match 28	July 11	Seattle Orcas vs San Francisco Unicorns	8:30 PM ET
Match 29	July 12	MI New York vs Washington Freedom	8:30 PM ET
Match 30	July 12	Texas Super Kings vs LA Knight Riders	8:30 PM ET

Playoffs (July 15-18, Oakland Coliseum)

The top four teams from the league stage advance. The playoff system gives the top two finishers two chances to reach the final.

Match	Date	Approx. ET
Qualifier (1st vs 2nd)	July 15	10:30 PM ET
Eliminator 1 (3rd vs 4th)	July 15	10:30 PM ET
Eliminator 2 (Qualifier loser vs Eliminator 1 winner)	July 16	10:30 PM ET
Final	July 18	10:30 PM ET

All times are approximate based on MLC's standard 7:30 PM local start time. Exact schedules will be confirmed by the league closer to each match day.

How to watch Major League Cricket 2026 on different devices

The simplest way to watch MLC 2026 with a VPN is in a web browser on a desktop or laptop, with no app store account or app installation needed beyond the VPN itself. Other devices, especially smart TVs and streaming sticks, often require an extra step such as changing the app store country or running the VPN at the router level. The sections below explain what each device needs to access 7plus.

Web browser (desktop and mobile)

Install a VPN, connect to an Australian server, and open 7plus.com.au in any modern browser. No app download is required. If 7plus detects your previous location, clear cookies or open a private window before loading the site.

iPhone and iPad (iOS / iPadOS)

NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN are all available on the App Store worldwide, so installing a VPN is straightforward. The 7plus app is primarily listed in the Australian App Store. If you prefer not to switch your Apple ID country, the easiest option is to watch in Safari with a VPN connection to Australia active. The 7plus mobile site streams live matches without requiring the app. If you do want the native app, our guide on how to change your Apple App Store country explains the steps. Apple requires a valid Australian payment method or gift card to switch your account region. For the top VPN picks for Apple devices, see our best VPN for iPhone guide.

Android phones and tablets

Install a VPN from Google Play, connect to Australia, and open 7plus.com.au in Chrome. The mobile site plays live streams without the app installed. If you want to install the 7plus Android app, note that changing your Google Play country can only be done once per year and requires a payment method registered in Australia. The mobile browser path avoids this entirely. Our best VPN for Android guide covers the top picks for Android streaming.

Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Google TV, Android TV)

Samsung Tizen and LG webOS app stores are tightly region-locked and unlikely to carry 7plus outside Australia. Google TV and Android TV have a broader catalog and support native VPN apps. For Tizen and webOS TVs, Smart DNS from NordVPN or Surfshark changes your apparent location without requiring a native VPN app. Alternatively, a router-level VPN routes all home network traffic, including the TV, through an Australian server. Our best VPN router guide covers compatible hardware and setup options. See also our guide on how to set up a VPN on a router for step-by-step instructions.

Streaming sticks (Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV)

Amazon Fire TV and Fire Stick support native VPN apps from NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN. Install the VPN from the Amazon Appstore, connect to Australia, and open the 7plus app or website. If the 7plus app is not listed in your regional Amazon Appstore, it can be sideloaded through the Downloader app using the official 7plus APK from the Seven Network. Roku has no native VPN app support and relies on router-level VPN or Smart DNS. Chromecast with Google TV runs Android TV and supports native VPN apps. Older Chromecast models require screen mirroring from a phone or laptop already running the VPN. Apple TV (tvOS) supports native VPN apps, but the tvOS App Store shares the same regional restrictions as iOS. For Fire TV-specific recommendations, see our best VPN for Fire Stick guide.

Game consoles (PlayStation and Xbox)

Neither PlayStation nor Xbox supports a native VPN app. The only practical path is a router-level VPN, which routes all console traffic through an Australian server automatically. A laptop, phone, or Fire Stick connected to the same TV is a simpler alternative for most viewers.

Frequently asked questions