Canada’s professional T20 franchise tournament, NCL GT20 Canada, will relocate to the the West Indies for its 2026 season. The tournament is scheduled to take place in St. Vincent and the Grenadines during the October-November window, marking a significant shift from its traditional Canadian base. The move represents a one-year partnership between the league and the West Indies cricket community, with the tournament set to return to Canada in 2027.
NCL GT20 Canada brings together leading international, Canadian and emerging cricket talent in a competitive franchise format. The 2026 Caribbean edition has been arranged in collaboration with Cricket West Indies, which will take an ownership stake in the league and acquire a franchise within the competition. This partnership underscores the growing connection between Canadian and West Indian cricket development.
“NCL GT20 is fundamentally a Canadian tournament, and the Caribbean provides a special home for our 2026 edition. This is about much more than taking a tournament to another country for one season. It is about building a bridge between Canadian and West Indies cricket, connecting players, administrators, fans and commercial partners. We thank Cricket West Indies for their support in delivering this tournament in the Caribbean. When NCL GT20 returns to Canada next year, we want to bring those relationships with us and create a lasting pathway between the Caribbean and Canada,” Arvinder Khosa, President of Cricket Canada, said in a press release from Cricket West Indies.
Why the Caribbean for 2026?
Working collaboratively with Cricket Canada and Cricket West Indies (CWI), the 2026 tournament will bring together Canadian, Caribbean and international talent on one platform. It provides an opportunity to strengthen player pathways between Canada and the Caribbean while building relationships that can continue when the tournament returns to Canada next year.
“NCL GT20 Canada, together with the deep cricketing tradition of the West Indies, creates an exciting opportunity for collaboration. Hosting the 2026 tournament in the Caribbean before its return to Canada next year marks the beginning of a partnership that can facilitate the continued development of Canadian cricket while showcasing our region as one of the great cricketing regions of world cricket,” Chris Dehring, Chief Executive Officer of Cricket West Indies, said.
“As the only full member of the ICC in the hemisphere, we believe it is important to forge mutually beneficial relationships with ICC Associate Members across the region, for the health of the game and, indeed, for the continued development of West Indies cricket,” he added.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines welcomes the tournament
Under the collaborative framework, CWI will play an important role in governance, compliance, and regulatory coordination and will also hold a direct franchise investment.
“We welcome the opportunity to host the NCL GT20 League in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Bringing world-class sporting events to our shores is a major part of my mandate, and I am delighted that we can respond favourably to the request to host this historic event in the Caribbean. We look forward to working with the NCL GT20 and all stakeholders to deliver an outstanding event and a memorable experience for players, fans and visitors alike,” Hon. Kaschaka Cupid, Minister of Youth, Sports, Culture and Creative Industries for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, said.
Further details on the tournament schedule and participating teams are expected to be announced in due course. The 2026 edition will serve as a bridge year before NCL GT20 Canada resumes operations in its home country in 2027.
