KINGSTON, Jamaica — Organizers of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) have announced Jamaica Empress as the fourth confirmed franchise for the 2026 edition of the elite women’s T20 cricket tournament, marking a key expansion milestone for the rapidly growing competition. The new side will line up against three consecutive defending champions Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders when all matches kick off at Barbados’ legendary Kensington Oval from September 5 to 17 this year.
All eight fixtures of the 2026 tournament will be hosted at the iconic Bridgetown venue, a ground with deep roots in Caribbean cricket history that has drawn thousands of fans for top international and regional competitions for decades. Looking beyond the 2026 season, WCPL leaders have laid out ambitious plans to grow the tournament into a truly global event. A formal WCPL statement revealed that by 2027, the competition is set to welcome additional franchises from outside the Caribbean region, opening the door for international teams and players to compete and raising the WCPL’s profile on the world stage.
Barbados Tridents enter the 2026 tournament on an unprecedented winning streak, having claimed back-to-back-to-back titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and will be gunning for a fourth consecutive crown. The Trinbago Knight Riders hold the distinction of winning the tournament’s inaugural edition back in 2022. The tournament opens on September 5 with a blockbuster opening clash between the Tridents and the Knight Riders, while new entrants Jamaica Empress will make their highly anticipated debut the following day against Guyana Amazon Warriors.
WCPL Chief Executive Officer Pete Russell emphasized that the competition’s impact extends far beyond the boundary rope. “The WCPL is about much more than what happens on the field. We are creating a platform where women can be celebrated, communities can come together, and young girls can see clear pathways to success in sport and beyond,” Russell said, highlighting the league’s core social mission to advance women’s cricket across the region.
Barbados Tridents captain Hayley Matthews, who missed the 2025 tournament due to an injury, echoed Russell’s sentiments, praising the tournament for the transformative change it has brought to women’s cricket in the Caribbean. “I’ve seen first-hand the impact of WCPL on women across the region. It’s powerful and far-reaching. It illuminates the potential in every girl, giving them not just visibility, but something to believe in and a dream to chase,” Matthews said.
The full 2026 WCPL fixture list is as follows:
September 5 – Barbados Tridents vs Trinbago Knight Riders
September 6 – Jamaica Empress vs Guyana Amazon Warriors
September 10 – Trinbago Knight Riders vs Jamaica Empress
September 12 – Trinbago Knight Riders vs Guyana Amazon Warriors
September 12 – Barbados Tridents vs Jamaica Empress
September 13 – Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Barbados Tridents
September 16 – Play-off (2nd placed team vs 3rd placed team)
September 17 – Tournament Final