Caribbean staging of Canada’s premier T20 tournament advances CWI’s push to unlock sizeable commercial opportunities across North America
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – As the NCL GT20 Canada 2026 Caribbean Edition heads towards the knockout stage at the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex, Cricket West Indies (CWI) says the tournament is already demonstrating the commercial and cricketing value of a closer partnership between the West Indies and the North American market.
The first edition of the NCL GT20 to be staged outside Canada, the 18-match tournament features the Brampton Blazers, Mississauga Skyhawks, Montreal Warriors, Toronto Kings and Vancouver Guardians, building towards the semi-finals on November 1 and the final on November 2. West Indies players including Evin Lewis, Rahkeem Cornwall, Fabian Allen and Andre Fletcher are competing alongside international names such as Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Amir, with matches broadcast to audiences across Canada, the United States, India, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America.
For CWI, which plays a central role in the event’s governance and regulatory coordination under a collaborative framework with Cricket Canada and NCL, the tournament is a practical expression of its strategy to grow the game, and the West Indies brand, in North America. Canada and the United States are home to large, fast-growing cricket communities, including sizeable Caribbean and South Asian diasporas, and represent some of the most significant untapped commercial opportunities in the sport.
CWI Chief Executive Officer Chris Dehring said:
“North America is the biggest growth opportunity in world cricket, and the West Indies is best placed to both assist and benefit from that growth. We are the only ICC Full Member in this hemisphere, we share time zones, travel links and family ties with millions of fans in Canada and the United States, and our brand is one of the most recognised in the sport. This is about building a commercial bridge as much as a cricketing one, and every partnership we strike in North America creates new revenue opportunities that we can reinvest in our players, our facilities and our development programmes here in the Caribbean.”
Cricket Canada President Arvinder Khosa emphasized the significance of the tournament’s Caribbean debut and the opportunities it creates for the continued growth of Canadian cricket:
“We are grateful to Cricket West Indies and the Government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for their warm hospitality and tremendous support in bringing NCL GT20 to the Caribbean. This tournament represents an important milestone for Canadian cricket, strengthening international partnerships, expanding opportunities for our players and connecting cricket communities across both regions. As we look ahead to the tournament’s return to Canada in 2027, we are excited to build on this momentum and continue growing the game on an international stage.”
Highlighting NCL GT20’s broader vision for international expansion and commercial growth, Chairman Arun Agarwal said:
“The response from fans at Arnos Vale and the interest from our global broadcast partners demonstrate the tremendous commercial potential of connecting North America and the Caribbean through cricket. Our collaboration with Cricket West Indies brings together two important cricket markets, creating new opportunities for sponsors, broadcasters, investors and players. This is bigger than a single tournament. We are building a sustainable platform for international cricket, expanding its global reach and creating long-term economic opportunities for both regions.”
As NCL GT20 prepares to return to Canada in 2027, CWI will continue to engage leagues, franchise owners, governments and commercial partners across North America to open new markets for West Indies cricket and secure the long-term sustainability of the game across the region.
