MCC PREPARES FOR NEW EDITION OF LAWS FROM 1 OCTOBER 2026

Following the announcement earlier this year that a new edition of the Laws of Cricket will come into force in October, MCC is continuing its drive to educate on the topic, including the launch of a new Laws of Cricket app.

MCC is now focused on education and implementation, and as part of the October launch, a programme of engagement activities will be taking place across India. 

MCC representatives will meet with administrators, players, coaches, umpires and media to explain the changes, answer questions and help build understanding ahead of the Laws taking effect. There are events planned in New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

The 2026 Code contains 73 material changes, with the most significant updates being the legalisation of laminated bats in open-age cricket, revised regulations around cricket balls, changes to end-of-day procedures in multi-day matches, and a clearer, simplified approach to the Law covering overthrows and misfields.

Several of the amendments have already been adopted through playing conditions by the ICC and other governing bodies, helping prepare the game ahead of October's implementation. Through its global education programme and stakeholder engagement, MCC aims to ensure players, officials and administrators at every level are ready for the new Laws when they officially come into force.

Through a collaboration with ICC, the new Laws app will for the first time be available in six languages, with Hindi, Urdu, Bangla, Marathi and Kannada versions published alongside English, and more languages to follow before the end of this year. This week’s launch is in English, with the other languages coming online in October.

The app will have a full search function, quizzes and topical updates, while the Laws section of MCC’s website has also had improvements to make its use more intuitive.

The app and website were developed by Reeble, a UK-based company with developers in India, who have also produced MCC’s digital coaching app.

The seminars will take place on the following dates:

30 September in New Delhi
1 October in Ahmedabad
2 October in Kolkata
5 October in Bengaluru
7 October in Mumbai

MCC also recently announced the Club has entered into an agreement with TSO (The Stationery Office), a Williams Lea company, to broaden the global reach of its Laws of Cricket publications, making them more accessible, affordable and sustainable for cricketing communities around the world.

Fraser Stewart, Laws Manager and Head of MCC Cricket, said: “It is one thing devising and writing new Laws, but it’s perhaps more important to ensure that they are well understood by all the game’s stakeholders. By having a freely accessible app in the most common languages of the cricket-playing world, MCC hopes to guarantee that this will be possible. Language should not be a barrier to understanding cricket’s Laws and, working closely with ICC and Reeble, MCC will make even more languages available in the coming months."  

Gaurav Saxena, ICC General Manager – Events and Operations, said: “Understanding and implementing the Laws of Cricket is fundamental to our game, and our match officials play a vital role in ensuring they are applied consistently. 

“But the Laws are equally important for players, coaches, media and fans. Making them freely accessible through an app in multiple languages is a significant step towards making the game more inclusive and easier to understand. We are delighted to have worked closely with MCC on this project and are confident of its utility.”

Richard Illingworth, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, said: “It is fantastic to see the Laws of Cricket being made available in different languages, making them more accessible to people across the game. A clear understanding of the Laws is fundamental for umpires, and this initiative will benefit match officials at every level.

“Making the Laws available through Apps takes accessibility to another level. It makes them easier to understand and engage with, opening them up to a much wider audience. On behalf of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Officials, I congratulate the MCC on this excellent initiative.”

Srikanth Tanguturi, Founder & CEO of Reeble.io said: “We are honoured to partner with MCC to truly globalise access to the Laws of Cricket through a modern digital platform and multi-lingual experience. We are proud to be part of an initiative that makes the Laws more accessible, inclusive and engaging for millions of players, officials and cricket fans around the world."

To download the Laws of Cricket app, please follow the links below:

Apple App Store

Google Play Store