CWI confirms revised format for 2026 West Indies Championship

Inclusion of ball tracking and reduction in the number of games are among the changes 

The 2026 edition of the West Indies Championship will feature three concurrent, three-match bilateral series played across the region, guided by the traditional West Indies Championship points system. The tournament is set to bowl off on April 12 and run through May 17.

In a statement released on Friday, Cricket West Indies revealed the change was prompted by their continued efforts to “ensure the sustainable management of resources across regional cricket."

Despite the new format resulting in a reduced number of games, the board insists it will function to “preserve relevance and competitive impact while managing operational costs,” once again highlighting their financial struggles.

Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe is confident in the new format. 

“Despite the reduction in matches, we anticipate keen contests,” he said. “The West Indies Championship will form a key part of talent identification and preparation for the home series, and the bilateral series format will add an interesting dimension, closer to mirroring the Test cricket format.”

How it works:

The six regional franchises will be seeded 1–6 based on their final standings at the end of the 2025 edition of the tournament.

The winners of each bilateral contest will be ranked 1st through 3rd based on total points accumulated, with the top-ranked team advancing directly to the Grand Final.

The 2nd- and 3rd-ranked teams will meet in a Playoff match to determine the second finalist. While the 1st-place team will take on the West Indies Academy to maintain match readiness ahead of the final. 

While the participating teams have reportedly “embraced the change,” CWI also revealed the potential implementation of ball-tracking technology during the competition, “to support the talent identification process and strengthen performance analysis,” the board says. 

The statement further added, “CWI has intentionally scheduled this year’s tournament closer to the start of the international home series, which commences against Sri Lanka in June, allowing players to achieve optimal match readiness just ahead of a packed summer.” 

FULL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:

Bi-Lateral Round: (Match 1 – April 12-15; Match 2 – April 19-22; Match 3 – April 26-29)

Windward Volcanoes vs. Guyana Harpy Eagles @ Antigua ​

Jamaica Scorpions vs Barbados Pride @ Jamaica ​

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs. Trinidad and Tobago Red Force @ Antigua

Playoff Round: (May 10-13)

2nd Place vs. 3rd Place @ Antigua

1st Place vs. West Indies Academy @ Antigua

Grand Final: (May 17-20)

1st Place vs. Playoff Winner @ Antigua