County Championship 2026: Can Nottinghamshire hold off the chasing pack again? Division One challengers and season predictions

County cricket is back this week and with it the opportunity for scores to be settled and claims to be staked for a place in the next iteration of England’s Test side.

Seven rounds of the County Championship will be played before Ben Stokes leads out his side in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's in June and the early-season exchanges could provide a platform for some future names to show their worth.

But that will also be a side-plot to the bigger picture as the 10 Division One sides begin their quest to lift the Lord's Taverners Trophy come late September.

Will Surrey get back on the horse and win a fourth title in five seasons? Can Nottinghamshire repeat their success from last summer? Are Sussex destined for a return to Division Two after a winter of financial struggles and a points deduction?

We try to predict who might be contenders and who else could be battling for survival…