A UAE-led cricket venture is set to take franchise cricket to China, with the World Championship of Cricket (WCC) joining hands with Chinese sports company Dongyuehui Sports to launch an eight-team Legends T20 competition in May 2027.

The proposed WCC Legends League will bring some of the sport’s most celebrated former international players to China, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to expand its cricketing presence and attract a wider audience.

The inaugural tournament is planned for May 2027 and will be based at the Shaxi Town Cricket Centre in Taicang, Jiangsu Province. The initiative comes as cricket prepares for its return to the Olympic programme at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, creating fresh opportunities to grow the sport in emerging markets.

The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2026 by Praveen Sharma, League Chairman of WCC, and Yonghui Tong, Chairman of Dongyuehui Sports. Dubai-based businessman Sharma is leading the league’s expansion into China.

WCC said the project aims to introduce international franchise cricket to new audiences while creating opportunities for the development of the sport at grassroots level.

“Cricket has the unique ability to connect people across cultures and borders, and China presents one of the most exciting opportunities for the sport’s future growth,” Sharma said.

He added that WCC was seeking support from local authorities and intended to work with Dongyuehui Sports to deliver an international-standard competition and inspire a new generation of players and fans.

Amandeep Singh, Founder of WCC, said taking the league to China had been an ambition since its inception.

“Today’s signing brings that ambition a step closer. We want to give fans the chance to watch celebrated cricketers in action and introduce new audiences to the excitement of the game,” Singh said.

He added that the organisers looked forward to working with their partners in Taicang to deliver a successful inaugural edition.

UAE sporting experience behind China expansion

WCC operates under the same company associated with the World Tennis League (WTL), World Padel League (WPL) and Stars Golf League (SGL). The group has experience in developing and staging international franchise sporting events, with the tennis and padel leagues having previously been held in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE connection also extends to the cricketing community, with several former international players having made the country their home in recent years.

WCC believes the combination of its international sporting experience and Dongyuehui Sports’ local knowledge and infrastructure will help bring high-profile cricket to Chinese audiences while encouraging greater participation in the game.

Tong said the partnership supported his organisation’s ambition to establish China as a destination for major international sporting events and develop the Shaxi Town Cricket Centre into a leading cricket venue.

“Our vision is to establish China as a destination for major international sporting events, and to position the Shaxi Town Cricket Centre as the leading home of cricket in the country,” Tong said.

He added that the league would introduce some of the biggest names in international cricket to Chinese fans, encourage participation and contribute to the sport’s long-term development.

Opportunities for Chinese players and investors

The proposed competition could also create a platform for emerging Chinese cricketers to learn from former international stars who have competed at the highest level, including the ICC Cricket World Cup.

For many of the participating legends, the tournament would also provide an opportunity to play in China for the first time.

The franchise-based model is expected to create commercial opportunities for private investors and investment funds through team ownership, strategic partnerships and other forms of investment.

With China representing one of the world’s largest consumer markets, the organisers see potential to build a wider commercial and sporting ecosystem around the competition.

Following its planned inaugural edition in China, the next season of the WCC Legends League could be staged in the UAE, which has already established itself as a major destination for international franchise cricket.

Students in Dubai can save up to 50 per cent on public transport fares under a new all-in-one student card that also provides access to discounts and benefits across the UAE and more than 130 countries.

The New Dubai Student Card has been launched by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in partnership with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Knowledge Park and the International Student Identity Card Association (ISIC).

The card combines three functions: student identification, nol public transport services and internationally recognised ISIC student status. It is designed to make everyday travel and student life more convenient while extending access to local and international offers.

Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of the RTA’s Corporate Technology Services Sector, said the initiative had been developed in partnership with educational institutions across Dubai to support students throughout their academic journey.

He outlined four areas of benefits available through the card:

• On campus: Student identification through participating educational institutions.
• Around Dubai: Access to RTA public transport services with student fare discounts of up to 50 per cent.
• Every day: Student discounts, offers and benefits across the UAE.
• While travelling: Access to more than 150,000 ISIC benefits across over 130 countries.

Through its ISIC affiliation, the card offers access to deals covering travel, accommodation, dining, entertainment, shopping and education.

The New Dubai Student Card will be introduced in phases. Educational institutions interested in participating can apply through the official website, www.dubaistudentcard.ae.

Dr Saeed Mubarak Kharbash, CEO of Policies, Research and Programmes at KHDA, said the initiative would make everyday experiences more seamless while expanding students’ access to opportunities.

He added that the card would support a more connected and enriching student journey while strengthening Dubai’s position as a global destination for education and talent.

Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Senior Vice President of Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, part of TECOM Group, said the integrated solution would bring together student identification, mobility and exclusive benefits in Dubai and internationally.

The initiative aims to simplify access to transport services and student discounts, offering learners a more connected experience while studying in the emirate.

Alireza Firouzja, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave emerged as the respective group leaders after the opening day of the Fast Classic stage of the Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot in Budapest.

The 24-player field contested two games each across four groups on Wednesday, producing 10 decisive results from 24 encounters. The opening day also showcased the impact of the tournament’s three-points-for-a-win scoring system, with players earning three points for a victory and one for a draw.

Each player faced the same opponent twice, with colours reversed in the return encounter.

Firouzja and Jan-Krzysztof Duda share the lead in Group A with four points each. Caruana and Liem Le are level at the top of Group B, while Nepomniachtchi and Vachier-Lagrave hold outright leads in Groups C and D respectively. The pre-event Blitz rankings separate players tied on points, placing Firouzja and Caruana first in their groups.

Firouzja and Duda lead Group A

Firouzja began his campaign with a hard-fought victory over Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The French grandmaster capitalised on a critical error to convert a promising position into a win.

Abdusattorov fought back in their second encounter and generated opportunities, at one stage gaining an advantage. However, Firouzja defended successfully, and the game ended in a draw, taking his tally to four points.

Duda matched that total after drawing his opening game against Andrew Hong before winning their return encounter with White. The Polish grandmaster gradually took control and converted his advantage to claim three points.

Levon Aronian and Jorden van Foreest shared the points evenly across their two games, with both players winning once with the black pieces. They finished the day on three points apiece.

Caruana and Le share Group B lead

Caruana opened his campaign with a significant victory over local favourite Richard Rapport. Playing Black, the American grandmaster came through a tense contest to claim three points. Their return game ended in a draw, taking Caruana to four points and placing him first in the group on the pre-event Blitz ranking.

Liem Le also collected four points against Vladislav Artemiev. The pair drew their first encounter before Le secured victory in the return game.

India’s Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Germany’s Vincent Keymer drew both their games, finishing the opening day with two points each.

Nepomniachtchi leads as Carlsen and Giri draw

Group C featured two-time encounters between some of the tournament’s biggest names, including world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Dutch No. 1 Anish Giri.

Neither player managed to gain a decisive advantage in either game, with both encounters ending in draws. Carlsen and Giri therefore finished the day on two points apiece.

Nepomniachtchi took the outright lead after defeating Abhimanyu Mishra in their first game. Mishra held the Russian grandmaster to a draw in the return encounter, leaving Nepomniachtchi with four points.

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Haik Martirosyan split their two games, with Black winning on both occasions. Mamedyarov claimed the opening victory before Martirosyan responded in the return game, capitalising on an error. Both players ended the day on three points.

Vachier-Lagrave takes sole lead in Group D

Vachier-Lagrave was the only player in Group D to register a win on the opening day, giving him sole possession of the lead with four points.

The French grandmaster faced Vaishali Rameshbabu with Black in their first encounter. After a balanced endgame, a late mistake from Vaishali allowed Vachier-Lagrave to seize the advantage and convert it into a victory. Their return game ended in a draw.

All the other encounters in Group D finished level, leaving Vachier-Lagrave as the group’s only player with a win after the opening two rounds.

The Fast Classic group stage continues in Budapest on Thursday, with each player scheduled to contest another two games as the battle for places in the knockout brackets gathers pace.