The tournament was run by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and took place for the first time, having been delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[3][4] The format of the game is: The eight teams competing in the 2021 season are new franchises, operating separately from the existing county cricket clubs.

Each represents a large area of England and Wales, with venues chosen for their locations in major cities.

[11] Eight city-based teams competed for the men's and women's titles over a month between 21 July and 21 August 2021, ensuring that the competition took place during the school summer holidays.

Aside from the opening two fixtures featuring the Oval Invincibles vs the Manchester Originals, all men's and women's matches were held on the same day at the same grounds.