The Knight Riders group, owners of cricket teams in multiple franchise leagues, has unveiled its “official home field for 2026”, called the Knight Riders Cricket Field, at Fairplex in Pomona, California, with the MLC team Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) set to play at least some of their MLC 2026 games at the venue. The update, the group said in a press statement, is with a view to “positioning the region as a future hub for cricket in the United States”.
It is understood that the venue will also be used for the 2028 Olympic Games, which will be hosted in Los Angeles, with cricket making a comeback to the Games after a gap of 128 years.
So far, in the three seasons of the tournament’s existence, no MLC team has had designated home grounds. Last season, for example, the first nine matches of the season were played in Oakland, followed by 12 games in Dallas, and nine games in Lauderhill, before moving back to Dallas for the playoffs. The 2026 edition has been pencilled in for a window in June-July.
“The USA is a great sporting market with passionate fans, and we hope this field becomes a place where people come together to celebrate the game and support the team”, co-owner of Knight Riders Sports, Shah Rukh Khan said in a statement. “I’m really looking forward to this new chapter for the Knight Riders in Los Angeles.”
The complex has been used for fairs, trade shows, conventions, sporting events and concerts over the years.
“As the home of the LA County Fair, one of the largest fairs in the country, we are excited to partner with Knight Riders to present cricket, one of the world’s largest sports, on our campus,” Walter M. Marquez, president and CEO of Fairplex, said. “Fairplex continues to seek new experiences that are unique to Southern California and the Knight Riders will create the field where community will come together and celebrate.”
LAKR are yet to win the MLC title – or reach the title round – in the three seasons of the tournament.