ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — Cricket West Indies (CWI) has unveiled a bold plan to accelerate the growth of cricket across the Americas, proposing the establishment of a new regional body—La Federación de Críquet de las Américas (FECA)—during the ICC Annual Conference held from July 17–20 in Singapore.
The proposal aims to unify cricketing nations across North, Central, and South America under a collaborative umbrella that would formalize partnerships, share resources, and create new development and competition opportunities throughout the hemisphere.
Cricket booming in the Americas: 400K+ players in USA, 88K in Brazil
CWI highlighted explosive growth in participation across the region. The USA now boasts over 400,000 registered players, including 53,000 in youth programmes, while Brazil has reached 88,000 registered players, with more than 50% being women.
The presentation received strong interest from cricket stakeholders from the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Bermuda, and The Bahamas, all of whom participated in discussions around FECA and future growth plans for the region.
FECA to unlock Olympic, Pan Am, and regional opportunities
One of FECA’s proposed objectives is to support qualification pathways for major multi-sport events like the Olympic Games and the Pan American Games. Also discussed was the creation of an Americas Championship—similar to the Asia Cup—that would allow Caribbean nations to compete individually against other countries in the hemisphere.
Chris Dehring, CEO of CWI, emphasized the role of the West Indies as the ICC’s only Full Member in the region, calling for collaboration that benefits the entire hemisphere:
“Elevating the sport in the wider hemisphere benefits us all. By connecting the emerging markets in the Americas with our own established structures, we can efficiently create more competition, matches, and exposure at every level for both ICC Associate Member countries and those under the aegis of Cricket West Indies.”
Pathway to Olympics and national representation for Caribbean nations
Dehring strongly advocated for Caribbean nations to have individual representation in Olympic cricket, ensuring fair access to qualification and recognition:
“Caribbean countries will not be sidelined as cricket returns to the Olympics. Our 15 proud nations deserve a fair pathway to compete, reflecting the true spirit of inclusion and opportunity that the Olympic Games represent.”
“Our individual countries competing for a place in the Olympic spotlight is an opportunity for their respective Governments to show tangible support for their national teams while flying their individual national flags. It is an unprecedented opportunity because building stronger national teams will ultimately result in a stronger West Indies team.”
With cricket’s growing footprint in the Americas and the strong momentum generated by the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean, CWI’s call for deeper regional collaboration arrives at a pivotal time for the sport’s global expansion.
