How to watch County Championship 2026: TV, YouTube and live stream

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The 2026 County Championship campaign is upon us – and with it the start of a new English cricket season.

While no longer the powerhouse that it once was, the four-day domestic competition remains a favourite among purists and is the backbone of English red-ball cricket.

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's Test side may still be licking their wounds after an all-too-familiar Ashes humbling Down Under but at the county level, there are reasons for fans of all 16 teams to believe this could be their year.

Watch the County Championship 2026 on ECB.co.uk and your team's official YouTube channel

Nottinghamshire ended Surrey's recent Division One dominance last year, winning their seventh title, but the Oval outfit are the favourites again this year – with the defending champions, Somerset, and Essex among the others expected to challenge.

In Division Two, the two relegated teams, Durham and Worcestershire, are fancied to be frontrunners, while sleeping giants Lancashire and dark horses Derbyshire will have sights set on promotion as well.

The County Championship is, to many, cricket in its purest form, and there will be extensive coverage throughout the season. With Test players in the mix in the opening rounds, there are plenty of reasons to tune in for the start of the 2026 campaign.

RadioTimes.com brings you all the details about how to watch the County Championship 2026.

When is the County Championship 2026?

The County Championship season starts on Friday 3 April 2026.

The final round of County Championship fixtures starts on Thursday 24 September 2026 and wraps up on Sunday 27 September 2026.

How to watch the County Championship 2026 on TV and live stream

Unfortunately, the County Championship 2026 will not be broadcast live on TV.

However, all matches will be available to watch for free via the Match Centre on ECB.co.uk and through your team's official YouTube channel, which you can stream through smart TVs.

Fans can also watch live on mobile or tablet through the England Cricket app.

County Championship on the radio

Few sports suit the airwaves quite like cricket and there will be extensive radio coverage throughout the County Championship.

Every ball of the season, in both divisions, will be broadcast live on local radio and the BBC Sport website. Listeners can also tune in through the England Cricket app or via teams' YouTube streams.

County Championship 2026 schedule

All start 11am UK time. Subject to change.

April

Division One: Friday 3 - Monday 6 April

Warwickshire v Surrey, at Edgbaston
Hampshire v Essex, at the Rose Bowl
Glamorgan v Yorkshire, at Sophia Gardens
Leicestershire v Sussex, at Grace Road
Somerset v Nottinghamshire, at Taunton

Division Two: Friday 3 - Monday 6 April

Derbyshire v Worcestershire, at Derby
Middlesex v Gloucestershire, at Lord's
Northamptonshire v Lancashire, at Northampton
Durham v Kent, at Chester-le-Street

Division One: Friday 10 - Monday 13 April

Essex v Somerset, at Chelmsford
Sussex v Warwickshire, at Hove
Yorkshire v Hampshire, at Headingley
Surrey v Leicestershire, at The Oval
Nottinghamshire v Glamorgan, at Trent Bridge

Division Two: Friday 10 - Monday 13 April

Middlesex v Worcestershire, at Lord's
Gloucestershire v Durham, at Bristol
Kent v Northamptonshire, at Canterbury
Lancashire v Derbyshire, at Old Trafford

Division One: Friday 17 - Monday 20 April

Hampshire v Somerset, at the Rose Bowl
Warwickshire v Essex, at Edgbaston

Division Two: Friday 17 - Monday 20 April

Northamptonshire v Middlesex, at Northampton
Gloucestershire v Lancashire, at Bristol

Division One: Friday 24 - Monday 27 April

Nottinghamshire v Warwickshire, at Trent Bridge
Yorkshire v Sussex, at Headingley
Surrey v Essex, at The Oval
Glamorgan v Leicestershire, at Sophia Gardens

Division Two: Friday 24 - Monday 27 April

Derbyshire v Gloucestershire, at Derby
Durham v Lancashire, at Chester-le-Street
Worcestershire v Kent, at New Road

May

Division One: Friday 1 - Monday 4 May

Surrey v Sussex, at The Oval
Hampshire v Glamorgan, at the Rose Bowl
Somerset v Yorkshire, at Taunton
Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire, at Grace Road

Division Two: Friday 1 - Monday 4 May

Kent v Derbyshire, at Canterbury
Northamptonshire v Worcestershire, at Northampton
Middlesex v Durham, at Lord's

Division One: Friday 8 - Monday 11 May

Essex v Hampshire, at Chelmsford
Warwickshire v Yorkshire, at Edgbaston
Nottinghamshire v Surrey, at Trent Bridge
Glamorgan v Somerset, at Sophia Gardens
Sussex v Leicestershire, at Hove

Division Two: Friday 8 - Monday 11 May

Derbyshire v Northamptonshire, at Derby
Gloucestershire v Kent, at Bristol
Worcestershire v Durham, at New Road
Lancashire v Middlesex, at Old Trafford

Division One: Friday 15 - Monday 18 May

Essex v Leicestershire, at Chelmsford
Hampshire v Nottinghamshire, at the Rose Bowl
Warwickshire v Glamorgan, at Edgbaston
Yorkshire v Surrey, at Headingley
Somerset v Sussex, at Taunton

Division Two: Friday 15 - Monday 18 May

Kent v Durham, at Canterbury
Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire, at Bristol
Middlesex v Derbyshire, at Lord's
Lancashire v Worcestershire, at Old Trafford

June

Division One: Sunday 7 - Wednesday 10 June

Surrey v Hampshire, at The Oval

Division One: Friday 12 - Monday 15 June

Yorkshire v Warwickshire, at Headingley
Leicestershire v Essex, at Grace Road
Sussex v Glamorgan, at Hove
Nottinghamshire v Somerset, at Trent Bridge

Division Two: Friday 12 - Monday 15 June

Northamptonshire v Gloucestershire, at Northampton
Lancashire v Kent, at Old Trafford
Worcestershire v Middlesex, at New Road
Durham v Derbyshire, at Chester-le-Street

Division One: Friday 19 - Monday 22 June

Essex v Nottinghamshire, at Chelmsford
Leicestershire v Yorkshire, at Grace Road
Glamorgan v Surrey, at Sophia Gardens
Sussex v Hampshire, at Hove
Somerset v Warwickshire, at Taunton

Division Two: Friday 19 - Monday 22 June

Kent v Middlesex, at Canterbury
Derbyshire v Lancashire, at Derby
Worcestershire v Gloucestershire, at New Road
Durham v Northamptonshire, at Chester-le-Street

August

Division One: Thursday 20 - Sunday 23 August

Surrey v Nottinghamshire, at The Oval
Warwickshire v Sussex, at Edgbaston
Leicestershire v Glamorgan, at Grace Road
Somerset v Essex, at Taunton
Hampshire v Yorkshire, at the Rose Bowl

Division Two: Thursday 20 - Sunday 23 August

Middlesex v Kent, at Lord's
Derbyshire v Durham, at Derby
Lancashire v Northamptonshire, at Old Trafford
Gloucestershire v Worcestershire, at Bristol

Division One: Thursday 27 - Sunday 30 August

Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire, at Edgbaston
Essex v Surrey, at Chelmsford
Yorkshire v Leicestershire, at Headingley
Glamorgan v Hampshire, at Sophia Gardens
Sussex v Somerset, at Hove

Division Two: Thursday 27 - Sunday 30 August

Derbyshire v Middlesex, at Derby
Northamptonshire v Kent, at Northampton
Worcestershire v Lancashire, at New Road
Durham v Gloucestershire, at Chester-le-Street

September

Division One: Wednesday 2 - Saturday 5 September

Essex v Sussex, at Chelmsford
Surrey v Yorkshire, at The Oval
Nottinghamshire v Leicestershire, at Trent Bridge
Somerset v Glamorgan, at Taunton
Hampshire v Warwickshire, at the Rose Bowl

Division Two: Wednesday 2 - Saturday 5 September

Gloucestershire v Derbyshire, at Bristol
Kent v Worcestershire, at Canterbury
Northamptonshire v Durham, at Northampton
Middlesex v Lancashire, at Lord's

Division One: Tuesday 8 - Friday 11 September

Nottinghamshire v Hampshire, at Trent Bridge
Yorkshire v Essex, at Headingley
Glamorgan v Warwickshire, at Sophia Gardens
Sussex v Surrey, at Hove
Leicestershire v Somerset, at Grace Road

Division Two: Tuesday 8 - Friday 11 September

Derbyshire v Kent, at Derby
Worcestershire v Northamptonshire, at New Road
Durham v Middlesex, at Chester-le-Street
Lancashire v Gloucestershire, at Old Trafford

Division One: Tuesday 15 - Friday 18 September

Essex v Warwickshire, at Chelmsford
Leicestershire v Hampshire, at Grace Road
Yorkshire v Somerset, at Headingley
Surrey v Glamorgan, at The Oval
Sussex v Nottinghamshire, at Hove

Division Two: Tuesday 15 - Friday 18 September

Durham v Worcestershire, at Chester-le-Street
Northamptonshire v Derbyshire, at Northampton
Gloucestershire v Middlesex, at Bristol
Kent v Lancashire, at Canterbury

Division One: Thursday 24 - Sunday 27 September

Warwickshire v Leicestershire, at Edgbaston
Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire, at Trent Bridge
Hampshire v Sussex, at the Rose Bowl
Glamorgan v Essex, at Sophia Gardens
Somerset v Surrey, at Taunton

Division Two: Thursday 24 - Sunday 27 September

Kent v Gloucestershire, at Canterbury
Middlesex v Northamptonshire, at Lord's
Worcestershire v Derbyshire, at New Road
Lancashire v Durham, at Old Trafford

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