Two new indoor cricket facilities will be built in Luton and Preston as part of a government-backed initiative to expand the sport’s reach. The £1.5 million investment will create year-round training facilities designed to make cricket more accessible, particularly for young people in urban areas who might not otherwise have opportunities to play.
The funding represents a significant scaling back of earlier proposals that had envisioned a much larger network of cricket domes across the country. Current officials described the previous government’s £35 million plan as unfunded, while emphasizing their commitment to practical investments in community sports.
The England and Wales Cricket Board welcomed the initial funding and expressed hope that additional support would follow, particularly with England set to host the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026. Cricket authorities view these facilities as crucial for creating a lasting legacy from major tournaments and making the sport more inclusive.
The domes, scheduled to open next year, will provide affordable, all-weather practice and match facilities. They’re specifically targeted at communities where cricket has traditionally had limited presence, with organizers hoping to break down barriers to participation.
Beyond developing sporting talent, the initiative aims to foster social cohesion by bringing together diverse communities through shared sporting activities. The ECB has set ambitious targets to engage hundreds of thousands of new young players by the end of the decade, with these facilities playing a key role in that strategy.
If further funding becomes available, additional domes could be established in other cities hosting World Cup matches, potentially reaching millions of children who currently don’t play cricket. The announcement forms part of a broader government youth strategy to be detailed later this year.
