Northern Superchargers have been officially renamed as Sunrisers Leeds ahead of The Hundred 2026 season. The change comes after the Indian media conglomerate Sun Group completed a full takeover of the franchise earlier in 2025, acquiring both Yorkshire's and the England and Wales Cricket Board's stakes for over £100 million.
This rebranding aligns the Leeds-based team with the Sun Group's global cricket brands, including Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20). The formal name change was filed with the UK's Companies House on October 31, 2025.
This renaming is part of a broader restructuring of The Hundred franchises ahead of the 2026 season. Alongside Sunrisers Leeds, the Manchester Originals are expected to be renamed Manchester Super
Giants, and the Oval Invincibles will become MI London, reflecting new ownership structures and branding strategies.
Yorkshire's chief executive Sanjay Patel expressed optimism that the takeover has put the club on a stronger financial footing, enabling a brighter future. Notably, the Northern Superchargers' women's team had lifted The Hundred title in 2025, and the men's team will compete under the new brand with possible new coaching and player dynamics, including linked coaching personnel from Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Hundred 2026 season will also introduce an IPL-style player auction, moving away from the previous draft system.
The Chennai-based franchise has been extremely successful in the SA20 as the Eastern Cape have won two titles in a row. The Sunrisers Hyderabad won their IPL title in 2016 and now they will be aiming for a bright start with their English team.
