Abu Dhabi T10 2026: Dates, Teams, Fixtures and Whether Betting Is Legal in the UAE

Last updated: 5 November 2026

Abu Dhabi T10 2026 runs from 7 to 20 November at Zayed Cricket Stadium, with six teams playing 32 matches and the final on the evening of 20 November. Betting on it from the UAE is legal only through the country's single licensed operator, and only where that operator allows access: Play971 says it is "accessible within the UAE only, except Dubai". A bet placed anywhere else, with an offshore site, a Telegram bookie or a friend running a book, is a criminal offence under the Penal Code.

Key takeaways

• Abu Dhabi T10 2026 is played entirely at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, from 7 to 20 November, with a rest day on 12 November.
• Six teams play a double round-robin of 30 league matches, followed by a qualifier and the final, both on 20 November.
• The tournament is now run by Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub (ADCSH), supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Emirates Cricket Board.
• Gambling outside a licence is punishable by up to two years' incarceration or a fine of up to Dh50,000 (Penal Code, Article 461). Promoting unlicensed gambling online carries a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000 and/or imprisonment (Cybercrimes Law, Article 38).
• The only company licensed by the GCGRA for internet gaming and sports wagering is Coin Technology Projects LLC, which runs Play971. Play971's help centre says the site cannot be used in Dubai. It also requires users to be 21 or over.

When and where is Abu Dhabi T10 2026?

The 2026 season starts on Saturday 7 November and ends on Friday 20 November. Every match is at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, according to the tournament's official site and the fixture list published by IANS and ANI on 16 October. There are no games in Dubai or Sharjah, which matters for the legal question below.

The schedule fits up to three matches into a match day. Opening day looks like this, with times in Gulf Standard Time:

Time (GST) — Match, Saturday 7 November

• 3:30pm — UAE Bulls v Yas Lions
• 5:45pm — Royal Desert Champions v Emirates Eagles
• 8:00pm — United Tigers v Arabian Aces

Thursday 12 November is a rest day. The last league day, 19 November, has UAE Bulls v Arabian Aces, Yas Lions v Royal Desert Champions and Emirates Eagles v United Tigers.

Which teams are playing in Abu Dhabi T10 2026?

Six franchises take part: UAE Bulls, Yas Lions, Royal Desert Champions, Emirates Eagles, United Tigers and Arabian Aces. Each plays the other five twice, for 10 league matches each and 30 in total. UAE Bulls are the defending champions.

The squads carry the usual T10 mix of short-format specialists. The IANS/ANI preview names Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Romario Shepherd for UAE Bulls; Jason Holder, David Willey, James Vince and Dasun Shanaka for Yas Lions; Nicholas Pooran, Phil Salt and Naseem Shah for Royal Desert Champions; Fakhar Zaman and Azmatullah Omarzai for United Tigers; and Moeen Ali, Andre Russell and Liam Livingstone for Arabian Aces.

How do the T10 playoffs work?

The team that finishes top of the league goes straight to the final. The second- and third-placed teams meet in a qualifier at 4:30pm GST on 20 November, and the winner plays the final at 6:45pm the same evening. That makes 32 matches in all.

Playing both knockout games on one evening means the champion is decided in Abu Dhabi on a Friday night, a day after the last league round.

Who runs Abu Dhabi T10 now?

The tournament has moved to government ownership. Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub now manages it, with support from the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Emirates Cricket Board, and five new franchise ownership groups have joined, according to the 16 October ANI report. Matt Boucher, chief executive of ADCSH and of Abu Dhabi T10, described the season as a "new innings" for the event.

That change has no bearing on betting. Neither the tournament nor its organiser is a gaming licensee, and a cricket body's own status says nothing about whether you can stake money on its matches.

Is betting on Abu Dhabi T10 legal in the UAE?

Only through a licensed operator, and only from a location that operator allows. Everything else is illegal.

The starting point is the Penal Code, Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021. Article 460 defines gambling as a game in which each party agrees, if they lose, to pay the winner money or anything else agreed. Article 461 sets the penalty for the player: "incarceration for a period not exceeding (2) two years or a fine not exceeding (50,000) fifty thousand AED". Article 462 is harsher for anyone who opens or runs a gambling place, or organises gambling in a public place or a place prepared for it: up to 10 years' temporary imprisonment and a fine of at least Dh100,000. Whether running an online pool counts as organising is for the courts, but everyone staking money in a WhatsApp group on T10 matches is gambling under Article 461. Our explainer on whether gambling is legal in the UAE covers the background.

The federal General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) licenses a small number of operators. As of 4 November 2026 its register lists one company for internet gaming and sports wagering: Coin Technology Projects LLC. That company operates Play971, which describes itself on its website as "the UAE's first licensed sportsbook and gaming platform, regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA)". The same company also operates TrueWin. For how TrueWin's sportsbook treats this cricket season, see our TrueWin cricket betting guide for T10 and ILT20.

Can you bet on T10 from Dubai?

Not legally through Play971. Its help centre says, in an article on location errors: "Play971 is accessible within the UAE only, except Dubai. Access is not available in Dubai or outside the UAE." The site checks your device location and tells users to disable any VPN or proxy. Its footer adds that users must be 21 or older and that "individuals from restricted jurisdictions are not permitted to register or use this platform."

So a fan watching at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi and a fan watching the same match on TV in Dubai Marina get different legal answers. The first is in an emirate where the licensed site can be used. The second is not, and has no licensed option. Using a VPN to get around the restriction does not fix that. Our guide to Play971 location checks explains how the geolocation works, including the separate "sensitive areas" restriction inside permitted emirates.

The matches themselves are all in Abu Dhabi, but where the match is played is irrelevant; what counts is where you are when you place the bet. We have also not confirmed which T10 markets, if any, the licensed site lists for this tournament. Do not assume coverage. Play971's help centre does state that Super Over betting markets are "currently not offered on our platform".

What about offshore betting sites and tipsters?

Offshore sportsbooks that accept UAE customers are not licensed by the GCGRA, so using them falls under Article 461 wherever the company is based. Promoting them is a separate offence. Article 38 of the Cybercrimes Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, punishes anyone who runs a website or uses an information network to "promote practicing of gambling activities in the cases other than the authorized" with imprisonment and/or a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000. That covers the Instagram accounts, Telegram channels and "sure win" tipsters that appear around every UAE cricket tournament.

Article 463 of the Penal Code lets courts confiscate money and equipment used for gambling and close premises where it took place. Our page on illegal gaming risks in the UAE sets out the enforcement record.

Where can you get help if betting is becoming a problem?

Ten-over cricket is fast. With up to three matches a day for nearly two weeks, that pace is a known risk for anyone who bets. Play971's account menu includes a "Player Controls" section for setting limits. Independent support options in the UAE are listed in our responsible gambling help guide. If you are using an unlicensed site, none of those protections apply.

FAQ

When does Abu Dhabi T10 2026 start? On Saturday 7 November 2026, with UAE Bulls v Yas Lions at 3:30pm GST at Zayed Cricket Stadium.

When is the Abu Dhabi T10 2026 final? On Friday 20 November at 6:45pm GST, after the qualifier at 4:30pm the same day.

How many teams and matches are there? Six teams and 32 matches: 30 league games, a qualifier and the final.

Is T10 betting legal in Dubai? No licensed option exists in Dubai. Play971, run by the only GCGRA-licensed sports wagering company, says it is not available there. Betting with an unlicensed site is an offence under Article 461 of the Penal Code.

What is the penalty for illegal betting in the UAE? Up to two years' incarceration or a fine of up to Dh50,000 for gambling (Article 461). Organisers face up to 10 years and a fine of at least Dh100,000 (Article 462).

How old do you have to be to bet on the licensed site?

1. Play971's site footer states that you must be 21 years or older to register and use the platform.

Further reading

• TrueWin sportsbook: betting on cricket this season, T10 and ILT20
• Play971 location checks explained
• Is gambling legal in the UAE?
• Play971 after the World Cup: the cricket season
• Responsible gambling help in the UAE

Sources

• Abu Dhabi T10, official website (accessed 4 November 2026): https://www.abudhabit10.com/
• Devdiscourse/ANI, "Pollard's UAE Bulls to face Holder's Yas Lions in Abu Dhabi T10 2026 opener" (16 October 2026): https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/sports-games/3993452-pollards-uae-bulls-to-face-holders-yas-lions-in-abu-dhabi-t10-2026-opener
• NewKerala/IANS, "UAE Bulls vs Yas Lions to open Abu Dhabi T10 2026 on Nov 7" (16 October 2026): https://www.newkerala.com/news/a/pollards-uae-bulls-face-holders-yas-lions-abu-511.htm
• UAE Legislation, Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 (Crimes and Penalties Law), Articles 460–463: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1529
• UAE Legislation, Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 (Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes), Article 38: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1526
• GCGRA, "Our Licensees" (accessed 4 November 2026): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/licensing/our-licensees/
• Play971 Help Centre, "Why am I receiving an error message 'Your location appears to be close to a restricted area'?" (accessed 4 November 2026): https://help.play971.ae/s/article/Why-am-I-receiving-an-error-message-Your-location-appears-to-be-close-to-a-restricted-area
• Play971, "Terms and conditions" and site footer (terms version dated 7 April 2026): https://www.play971.ae/support/terms-and-conditions
• Play971 Help Centre, "Do we offer Super Over betting markets?" (accessed 4 November 2026): https://help.play971.ae/s/article/Do-we-offer-Super-Over-betting-markets-Q