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New cricket domes provide sports access for communities
The government has announced funding for the the construction of two new indoor cricket domes to enable access to the sport throughout the winter.
The domes will allow communities in Luton and Lancashire to play throughout the year.
The government is investing £1.5 million to help the England and Wales Cricket Board to build high-class facilities in areas that are lacking suitable places to play.
The domes will improve access ahead of the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup. Participation among women and girls rose by more than a fifth in 2024.
The Luton dome is due to open early in 2026 and will provide access to underrepresented groups such as state schools. It will also have the potential to offer other sports like hockey, tennis and badminton.
The Lancashire dome, at Farington near Preston, will host a women and girls pathway that runs from entry-level right through to Lancashire’s professional women’s side and also act as a hub for disability cricket in the North-West.
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said: "Cricket has a remarkable power to inspire and unite communities all over the world and today we are making sure that more people of all backgrounds have the chance to experience the game.
"These domes will be places where cricket-lovers and newcomers alike can come together to play, get active, make real-life connections and chase sporting dreams."
ECB chair Richard Thompson said: "These state-of-the-art all-weather cricket domes will be transformative for the communities they serve, opening up cricket to more people year-round and providing top-class facilities for elite players too. They are an important part of our plans to break down barriers and make cricket the most inclusive team sport.
"We are pleased to secure Government support for these incredible community facilities, which we hope will provide a vital proof point of what can be achieved, and look forward to future collaboration. As we have seen in Bradford, centres like these can have a hugely positive impact—bringing people together, opening up opportunities, and inspiring the next generation.
"As we look ahead to hosting the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026, building on that success by rolling out more domes in communities across England and Wales will be key to creating a genuine and lasting legacy from the tournament."
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