Brampton: North America’s Cricket Capital
Words: Naomi, Toronto
Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world (second to soccer) and is one of the fastest growing sports in Canada. It has a huge role in the community in the city of Brampton, Ontario. At first, I never knew much about cricket, but with Brampton's rising cricket infrastructure and fans constantly playing, naturally it sparked my curiosity. I learned so much by connecting with different influential Bramptonian community members and hardcore fans.
Cricket serves as a unifying force for Brampton's multicultural population. The City of Brampton has been actively taking continuous steps to shape cricket culture. Did you know there are 22 cricket sites in Brampton and that number keeps growing each year? There is cricket programming offered at many recreational facilities and cricket camps offered for youth and girls. In 2024, the City of Brampton proudly hosted the prestigious GT20 Canada tournament. The mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, plans to make Brampton the cricket capital of North America. To support his vision, he continues to open many new cricket fields, including the latest field at Turner Fenton's Secondary School, which was officially opened on April 15, 2025. This was a joint venture with the Peel District School Board. The city plans to work with other partners in its quest to develop the sport in Brampton.
“No city has the passion, the participation or the frenzy that we do. We are building the cricket environment to make Brampton the breeding ground for intentional success.”
-Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton
A pivotal organization in Brampton that shapes this rapidly growing sport in the community is the Ontario Schools Cricket Association (OSCA). OSCA empowers students to dive deep into cricket. OSCA shifts this bat and ball sport, consisting of two teams, from more than a sport to an environment where memories are made and character is shaped. So many fundamental skills are learned from teamwork, discipline, confidence, and unity. Many students claim that it helps to keep them active, improving physical fitness, stamina and hand-eye coordination, getting them off of social media and actively into the community. This program establishes strong social infrastructures, human connections, promotes the physical and mental health of all students, and impacts 5000+ students across Ontario, helping students discover their strengths. This program was formed to expose Canadian-born kids to this sport, popularising the sport in Canada and fostering new connections for generations to come.
“Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, yet many young people in Ontario haven’t had the chance to play it. OSCA bridges that gap by making cricket accessible in schools, in a way that’s locally responsive and culturally meaningful.”
— Ranil Mendis, Ontario Schools Cricket Association
Although cricket enjoys widespread popularity in Brampton and on a global scale, it still struggles to get the recognition it deserves in Canada. In most parts of Canada, hockey and soccer dominate facilities, funding, and media attention, leaving cricket in the shadows. National identity, policy, and tradition can shape what sports are prioritized, but that narrative can evolve. It’s time to bring cricket into the bigger picture.
What makes Brampton succeed in cricket is not only the growing popularity in the community due to cultural connections, but also investments in infrastructure, which fuels its growth. Bringing cricket into Canadian culture starts with increased funding, the creation of publicly accessible playing grounds, and the incorporation of cricket into schools. This allows for increased opportunities for cricket teams across Canada, and active opportunities for engaging participants to play, support and cheer. It starts with funding an infrastructure, which can cause a domino effect, increasing participants, engagement, and with that the expansion and creation of organizations like OSCA nationally. By establishing a national and sustainable framework, cricket further integrates into Canada’s diverse identity.
With the help of the government, media attention, and the rapidly evolving society, cricket has the chance to gain wider recognition in Canada. By highlighting success stories on players and thriving cities in the sport like Brampton, the narrative that surrounds cricket can move from the margins into the mainstream, attracting new fans, participants, athletes, and sponsors.
As they say, “Cricket, lovely cricket. Hit the ball before it hits the wicket!”
Naomi is a Toronto-based participant in Youth Media Forward: meet the Toronto participants here
References:
Cricket is for everyone. and Ontario Schoolkids could use a little joy, especially girls, J Callaghan, 26 Feb 2022, Toronto Star.
“Brampton Unveils New Cricket Pitch at Turner Fenton School, Strengthening Its Title as Cricket Capital of Canada”, ymediagroup on X, 21 April 2025