The ICC T20 World Cup 2024, marking its ninth edition, is set to unfold in the United States and the West Indies from June 4 to June 30. With a total of 20 teams ready to showcase their cricket prowess, this tournament promises to be a thrilling spectacle for fans worldwide. However, the journey towards hosting this prestigious event has faced its share of challenges and adjustments.
In a surprising turn of events, the Government of Dominica decided to withdraw from hosting matches, citing challenges in completing the development of a venue before the tournament’s commencement. Notably, Cricket West Indies initiated a bidding process in April 2023 for countries willing to step up as hosts in the region.
July 2023 saw the ICC shortlisting four venues in the United States, each vying to become a prominent stage for the tournament. Central Broward Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Grand Prairie Stadium near Dallas, Texas; and Van Cortlandt Park in New York City were initially in contention. However, due to protests concerning the choice of Van Cortlandt Park, the decision was made to shift the site to a temporary stadium at Eisenhower Park in Long Island. Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina, unfortunately, did not make the final list of venues in the US leaving three venues finalized from the state.
The shifting landscape continued as the focus turned to the Caribbean countries in September 2023. Seven venues across Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago were selected to host matches. Notably, Jamaica, the only member association of Cricket West Indies not submitting a bid, made it clear through Sports Minister Olivia Grange that cost considerations ruled out their participation in hosting the World Cup.
Further twists occurred in November 2023, as Trinidad’s Queen’s Park Oval, the country’s largest cricket ground, found itself excluded from hosting any matches. Instead, the spotlight shifted to the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in San Fernando, which took center stage for the tournament fixtures. Nigel Camacho, President of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club, clarified that the venue would likely serve as the host for warm-up matches preceding the main tournament.
Amidst these developments, the dynamic nature of hosting decisions and venue changes reflects the collaborative efforts to ensure a seamless and successful T20 World Cup experience in 2024.
Here are all T20 World Cup 2024 venues (included and excluded)
| Venue | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Central Broward Park | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | Included |
| Church Street Park | Morrisville, North Carolina, United States | Excluded (not in final list) |
| Grand Prairie Stadium | Near Dallas, Texas, United States | Included |
| Van Cortlandt Park (initial) | New York City, United States | Excluded (changed to Eisenhower Park) |
| Eisenhower Park (temporary) | Long Island, New York, United States | Included (replacement for Van Cortlandt Park) |
| Venues in the Caribbean countries | Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago | Included |
| Queen’s Park Oval | Port of Spain, Trinidad | Excluded (matches moved to Brian Lara Cricket Academy) |
| Brian Lara Cricket Academy | San Fernando, Trinidad | Included (replacement for Queen’s Park Oval) |
| Venues in Jamaica | Jamaica | Excluded (did not submit a bid) |
| Withdrawn Venue in Dominica | Dominica | Excluded (withdrawn due to incomplete development) |
