Fairplex changes MLC’s identity by giving one franchise something the league has never had in three seasons: an actual home ground. The Knight Riders Group broke ground on a $21 million stadium in Pomona on April 23, 2026, replacing Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill and pushing two of the league’s three 2026 venues into California. Every previous MLC ground was shared neutral territory used by all six teams equally. Fairplex belongs to the LA Knight Riders alone, and that ownership structure is the actual story behind this season’s schedule.
Knight Riders’ New Home Ground
The Knight Riders Group, which owns LA Knight Riders, leased land at Fairplex in Pomona and broke ground on the $21 million venue on April 23, 2026, the first franchise-owned dedicated cricket ground in MLC’s history. Every MLC venue before this one has been a shared, neutral site used by all six franchises rather than a home turf belonging to a single team.
Capacity for 2026 sits at roughly 5,000, with the structure designed to expand to 15,000 in time to host cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The ground itself sits at 1101 West McKinley Avenue at the LA County Fairgrounds in Pomona, and it directly replaces Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida, which drops off the calendar entirely for 2026.
MLC’s Expanding Footprint
MLC ran its first two seasons on just two grounds, Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina. Season 3 in 2025 swapped out Morrisville for Oakland Coliseum, the league’s first West Coast venue, and added Broward County Stadium in Florida to make it a coast-to-coast three-city footprint.
Venue | City | Matches Hosted 2026 | First MLC Season |
Grand Prairie Stadium | Grand Prairie, TX | 15 | 2023 |
Oakland Coliseum | Oakland, CA | 12 | 2025 |
Knight Riders Cricket Field (Fairplex) | Pomona, CA | 7 | 2026 |
Season 4 drops Florida and brings in Pomona instead, which puts two of the league’s three 2026 venues in California. All six franchises, LA Knight Riders, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Seattle Orcas, Texas Super Kings, and Washington Freedom, are unchanged for 2026, with an expansion to eight teams floated for 2027. Washington Freedom remains a name only in this setup; no MLC season has ever actually been played in Washington state, and like every other team, it plays its matches at shared host venues rather than anywhere it could call home.
MI New York’s Title Defense
MI New York is still the league’s most decorated side, with titles in 2023 and 2025 from just three seasons of MLC cricket so far. Ahead of the 2026 draft, the club retained seven domestic players, Monank Patel, Rushil Ugarkar, and Tajinder Singh among them, then added Corey Anderson and Faisal Khan Ahmadzai through the draft itself.
Overseas, Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock headline the new arrivals, joining returning seamer Trent Boult. Mark Boucher stays on as head coach and Nicholas Pooran continues as captain, the same pairing that pulled the team out of a 2025 mid-season slump and into a five-run final win over Washington Freedom.
Season 3’s Growth Numbers
The 2025 season gave MLC its clearest evidence yet that the audience is real and growing. Ticket sales rose 53 percent year over year, 84 percent of those buyers were purchasing for the first time, and broadcast reach extended to more than 90 countries.
On the field, the season produced 18 team totals above 200 runs, five last-ball finishes, and seven centuries. The Oakland Coliseum debut alone was projected to deliver a $3 million direct economic boost to the city, evidence strong enough that the league kept California on the schedule and doubled down with a second California venue for 2026.
Major League Cricket 2026 Fairplex Venue
Fairplex’s actual workload is modest by design, at least for now. Pomona’s Knight Riders Cricket Field hosts seven matches across a tight five-day window from July 1 to 5, the smallest share of the three grounds, while Oakland still carries the heaviest match load and the entire playoff phase, including the July 18 final.
That imbalance still hands LA Knight Riders a scheduling edge no other franchise in the league has ever had, even with a lighter slate. The 2026 season opens June 18 at Grand Prairie Stadium, runs through 34 matches across all three grounds, and closes at Oakland, with the Major League Cricket 2026 Fairplex venue marking the first time the league’s footprint has stretched into a city actually built around one of its own teams.
Does a single franchise-owned ground change how you see MLC’s growth, or is shared neutral turf still the league’s real identity? Tell us where you land.
FAQs
What is Fairplex’s seating capacity for MLC 2026?
It holds roughly 5,000 fans for the 2026 season. The venue is built to expand to 15,000 ahead of hosting cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Which MLC venue did Fairplex replace?
Fairplex replaces Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida. Florida drops off the 2026 schedule entirely as Pomona takes its place.
How many MLC titles has MI New York won?
MI New York has won two titles, in 2023 and 2025. That’s from just three seasons of league cricket, the most of any franchise.
How much did ticket sales grow during MLC’s 2025 season?
Ticket sales rose 53 percent year over year. Of those buyers, 84 percent were purchasing tickets for the first time.
How many matches will Fairplex host in 2026?
Fairplex hosts seven matches in 2026. They’re all played in a compact five-day window from July 1 to 5.