BBC Sport

Somerset will begin the defence of their Vitality Blast crown with a rematch of last season's final, hosting Hampshire Hawks in Taunton on Friday, 22 May.

It is one of 16 double-headers across the opening weekend of the 2026 campaign as the men's and women's competitions run side by side in a new slimmed-down format.

The men's group stages have been reduced by two games to 12 matches per side, with the quarter-finals and Finals Day following on directly so the competition is wrapped up in one block before the start of The Hundred.

Women's Finals Day will take place on 17 July at The Oval, a day before the men's showpiece at Edgbaston.

There will be 61 double-headers in total next year and the ECB say the revamp will result in "greater focus on derby rivalries, more matches in fan-friendly days and a more balanced schedule to support player performance".

The previous men's format of two groups of nine sides will be replaced by three groups of six split into north, central and south groups as it was in 2020.

Yorkshire Women's move to Tier 1 on professional terms paves the way for the first Roses double-header, which will take place at Old Trafford on Friday, 10 July.

It also means the structure of the women's T20 changes to two groups of nine.

The tier-one sides will playing 12 group-stage matches before Finals Day, while the second-tier sides playing eight group games before a separate three-team two-match Finals Day at Sophia Gardens on Sunday, 12 July.

ECB managing director, competitions and major events, Neil Snowball said: "The changes to the men's and women's Vitality Blast competitions for 2026 have been made in order to benefit fans and players alike.

"Every county will host a men's and women's double header, with 61 double-headers in total, while the significant reduction in back-to-back games gives players more opportunity to perform at their very best throughout the competition."

Men's Vitality T20 Blast

North Group: Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Durham, Yorkshire, Leicestershire

Central Group: Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire Bears, Somerset, Glamorgan, Worcestershire

South Group: Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Middlesex, Essex, Hampshire

Vitality Blast Women's Competition (Tier 1): Warwickshire Bears, Durham, Essex, Hampshire Hawks, Lancashire Thunder, Somerset, Surrey, The Blaze, Yorkshire.

Vitality Blast Women's League 2 (Tier 2): Derbyshire Falcons, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire Foxes, Middlesex, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Sussex Sharks, Worcestershire Rapids.