The Jamaican Government has decided not to submit an official bid to host games at next year’s Men’s T20 World Cup, citing constraints related to limited resources.
According to Sports Minister Olivia Grange, this decision followed a thorough evaluation of the costs and potential benefits associated with hosting the tournament.
“We had been considering the cost and source of funding of nearly half a billion dollars to host a few games in Jamaica,” Grange stated via a press statement.
Minister Grange says it was too expensive to host World Cup matches
“In our cost/benefit analysis with stakeholders, we also considered the economic, social, and development impact, including the potential tourism-related impact and attendant industry benefits using year-over-year economic modeling, reconciled against current tourism performance.”
The minister further explained that various scenarios were examined, including the option of not submitting a bid. Ultimately, the government determined that the expenses of hosting World Cup matches would outweigh the potential advantages.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), in collaboration with Cricket West Indies, recently unveiled the venues for the Caribbean leg of the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the USA. These venues were selected based on proposals from local governments.
Jamaica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis fail to submit hosting bids
Notably, Jamaica, along with Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis, did not submit bids. Seven other Caribbean centers, namely Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago, will now serve as hosts for the tournament matches.
Grange emphasized that, in consultation with stakeholders, the government decided to redirect its efforts toward grassroots cricket development. To support this initiative, they plan to invest J$100 million over the next five years in youth cricket and cricket programs within schools, with the aim of contributing to the improvement of West Indies cricket.
“It was not an easy decision, and I very much understand and share the disappointment of fans who wanted to see T20 World Cup games being played in Jamaica. However, I could not just follow my heart,” she remarked. “As a responsible minister, I am obliged to look beyond immediate gratification to sustainable sport development that will yield immeasurable rewards at all levels in Jamaica. I had to pay attention to the cost/benefit analysis, especially in a circumstance of limited resources.”
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 2 to June 30, featuring 20 teams and a total of 55 matches across 10 venues in the Caribbean and the USA. This event marks the third occasion that the West Indies will host a men’s World Cup and the first in 14 years, with previous hosting duties for the 2007 One-Day International World Cup and the 2010 T20 World Cup.
