Antigua & Barbuda Falcons unveiled as new CPL franchise

Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, the newly unveiled franchise, will replace Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League. Worldwide Sports Management Group, owners of the franchise, made the announcement on Tuesday, February 20, in an opening ceremony at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which is set to be their home ground.

"The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons will bring a unique energy and vitality to the Republic Bank CPL," Krishna Persaud, founder and president of Worldwide Sports Management Group, said. "We want to establish a winner's culture within the team and also a culture of winning and success off the field - among every individual associated with this franchise and the amazing fans we will have at our special home base at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in lovely Antigua."

Antigua previously hosted a franchise named Antigua Hawksbills in the first two CPL seasons, but they won only three matches and were replaced by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2015.

Antigua & Barbados' entry means Jamaica will not host a game in CPL 2024. A CPL spokesperson had mentioned there will be efforts to create a Jamaica-based franchise but that it will be in 2025 at the earliest. Sabina Park, in Jamaica, last hosted a CPL match in 2019 and league's chief executive Pete Russell had criticised the island for its reluctance to engage with cricket.

Details on the overall structure of the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons and the coaching and management staff for the team will be announced at a later date.

The 2024 edition of the CPL will take place from August 28 to October 6 with games taking place in Antigua for the first time in ten years. Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago are the other venues. The National Stadium in Providence, Guyana, will host the final.