What Is SA20? Teams, Owners, Winners and the 2027 Season

SA20 is South Africa's professional T20 league, launched in January 2023 with six franchises, every one of them owned by an IPL team's owners. Four seasons in, the league says it has sold more than 1.6 million tickets, and the fifth season starts on 17 January 2027. This page covers the teams and their owners, how the season and playoffs work, every final, the squad rules and this month's auction.

The Six Teams and Their Owners

The six franchises were bought by IPL owners in 2022, which is why most of the shirts and names echo an IPL side.

Season 5: 17 January to 21 February 2027

• Opening match: Sunrisers Eastern Cape against Pretoria Capitals at St George's Park, Gqeberha, a repeat of the 2026 final.
• League stage: each team plays the other five home and away, 30 matches in all, with Saturday double-headers on 23 and 30 January and 6 and 13 February.
• Playoffs: Qualifier 1 at Boland Park on 16 February, Paarl's first playoff; the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 at the Wanderers on 17 and 19 February.
• Final: Sunday 21 February at Newlands.

The dates and venues are from the league's fixtures announcement. Tickets go on sale on 5 November 2026.

How the Playoffs Work

The top four reach the playoffs, in the same system as the IPL. First plays second in Qualifier 1, and the winner goes to the final. Third plays fourth in the Eliminator. The loser of Qualifier 1 then plays the Eliminator winner in Qualifier 2 for the other place in the final, which has a reserve day.

Every Final

Sunrisers Eastern Cape have reached every final and won three. The 2025 final was their only defeat, when MI Cape Town bowled them out for 105 at the Wanderers, as Daily Maverick reported, with Kagiso Rabada taking four for 25. In the 2026 final at Newlands, Dewald Brevis made a hundred for the Capitals in a losing cause before Tristan Stubbs and Matthew Breetzke chased down 159.

Squad Rules

For Season 5, each team registers 18 players plus one wildcard who sits outside the salary cap. Of the 18, no more than seven can be overseas, and at least eleven must be South African, including two South Africans under 23. That under-23 requirement replaces the old rookie slot. The salary cap rises to 42 million rand.

The Season 5 Auction

The auction in Johannesburg on 7 October 2026 filled 19 places across four teams, with Durban's Super Giants and Paarl Royals already full. The top price was 2.9 million rand for Jason Rowles, an 18-year-old, to Joburg Super Kings. Faf du Plessis went back to Joburg for 2.7 million rand after they had released him, Wiaan Mulder joined MI Cape Town for 2.6 million, and Kieron Pollard and Shimron Hetmyer went for 1.5 million each. Earlier signings include Mitchell Marsh for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, Joe Root returning to Paarl Royals, and Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Sunil Narine at Durban's Super Giants.

SA20 Shirts

We stock official SA20 shirts for four of the six sides: the Pretoria Capitals' 2025 shirt at £49.99 and their 2024 shirt and training top, and 2024 shirts for Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals at £44.99, each in one or two sizes. They are in our choose your own collection, and SA20 shirts can also come in a mystery box. Our cricket gift guide has more ideas for the season.

FAQs: SA20

What is SA20?
South Africa's professional T20 league, six IPL-owned franchises, played every January and February since 2023.

When does SA20 2027 start?
On 17 January 2027, with Sunrisers Eastern Cape against Pretoria Capitals in Gqeberha. The final is at Newlands on 21 February.

Who has won SA20?
Sunrisers Eastern Cape in 2023, 2024 and 2026, and MI Cape Town in 2025.

Who owns the SA20 teams?
The owners of six IPL franchises: Lucknow Super Giants, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals' JSW Sports and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

How many overseas players can an SA20 team have?
Up to seven in an 18-player squad for Season 5.