Women's Caribbean Premier League: Jamaica Empress becomes fourth team
What's the story
The Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) is set to expand from three to four teams in the 2026 season. The new addition, Jamaica Empress, will join the existing trio of Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and Trinbago Knight Riders. The tournament will be held from September 5-17 in Barbados. Each team will play against the other three once in a round-robin format.
Tournament structure
Format and defending champions
The team with the most points at the end of the round-robin stage will qualify directly for the final. They will face the winner of a playoff between teams ranked second and third. The defending champions, Barbados Royals, will be aiming to clinch their fourth consecutive title after winning in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Trinbago Knight Riders had won the first-ever edition of this tournament in 2022.
Global vision
Plans for future expansion
A recent release from the WCPL hinted that the addition of a fourth team could be just the beginning. "Looking ahead to 2027, the WCPL is preparing to take the next step in its evolution, with plans to welcome teams from outside the Caribbean and establish the tournament as a truly global competition." This shows an ambitious vision for future growth and international participation in women's cricket.