Jamaica draws closer to CPL return

JAMAICA COULD be making a return to the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as early as 2026 if the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport have things their way.

The ministries are in advanced arrangements to reintroduce a Jamaica franchise to the Caribbean Premier League in August 2026 through a public-private partnership.

The development comes as the Government continues its push to establish Jamaica as a premier destination to watch, participate in and discuss sports.

In this regard, Kingston is recognised as a strategic pillar for diversifying Jamaica’s tourism offerings, aiming to create integrated visitor experiences that encompass business, heritage, food, cultural attractions, sports, and entertainment.

The Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett, and the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, are working to conclude the discussions and ensure the necessary arrangements are put in place for a new Jamaican CPL franchise next summer.

“Sports tourism is a critical component in the experiential offerings of tourism for destination Jamaica. Minister of Culture, the Honourable Babsy Grange, and myself have been collaborating with the CPL team, and particularly the franchise holder in Jamaica, to ensure that along with the cricket board we’re able to advance quality cricket offerings at destination Jamaica. We are committed to working with the teams and we look forward to the outcomes that will enure to the constant building of sports tourism as a driver for visitor arrivals and revenue in Jamaica,” said Bartlett.

According to Grange, the decision isn’t new and that the factors that lead to implementation have been ongoing for a while.

“The discussions have been ongoing for a while now and they are going very well. We have resolved many of the challenges and I’m very confident that we will welcome a new CPL franchise to Jamaica in the new season,” said Grange.

The CPL, through Chief Executive Officer Peter Russell, has also given the move its blessing, the boss suggesting having Jamaica missing was a black eye.

“The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League is very excited at the prospect of a return to Jamaica. We are delighted that there has been significant investment in Sabina Park and have had fruitful and engaging discussions with the Government and other stakeholders about securing a seventh CPL team which will be domiciled in Jamaica for the 2026 season. We have seen the impact that CPL has made on promoting host nations as premier tourism destinations. We look forward to working with our partners to achieve similar success in Jamaica. We are hopeful that these negotiations will reach a positive conclusion in the coming months.”