TKR start CPL title defence vs Patriots on August 8

Reigning Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champs Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) will start their 2026 title defence with a clash against 2021 champions St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent and the Grenadines on August 8. 

The fixtures for the 2026 season were released earlier today, with the five-time winners TKR set to play three away games before beginning their five-match home leg against St Lucia Kings on August 26. TKR's other home matches will be played against Barbados Royals (August 28), Guyana Amazon Warriors (August 29), new franchise Jamaica Kingsmen (August 31) and the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (September 2). 

For the first time in the tournament's 14-year history, seven teams will feature in a single edition, with the Kingsmen franchise expected to add to the spectacle. The Kingsmen will be thrown straight into the fire for CPL 2026, as they will play the tournament's opening match against the Falcons in SVG on August 7. 

TKR coach Dwayne Bravo speaks to the media during his team's welcome reception at the Piarco International Airport in September 2025. 

Of their ten league matches this season, TKR will play the following teams twice: the Amazon Warriors; the Falcons; the Kingsmen, and the Royals. TKR will only play the Patriots and the Kings once. The CPL playoffs will be held from September 16-20, with the final to be staged at the iconic Kensington Oval venue for the first time. 

Last year, for the first time in the tournament's history, none of the matches in Trinidad were played at the Queen's Park Oval, with TKR instead playing all their home matches at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba. When asked if any matches will be played at the Queen's Park Oval this year, CPL's head of PR and Communications, Peter Miller, said the Trinidad venues are still to be confirmed. 

A look at TKR's matches for the 2026 CPL season. Photo courtesy TKR

In Last year's CPL final in Guyana, TKR defeated their rivals the Amazon Warriors by three wickets in a low-scoring affair to cop an unprecedented fifth title. 

Jereem clocks 10.25 at Pure Athletics Invitational

Largely known for his exploits over the 200-metre and 400m disciplines. Trinidad and Tobago track and field star Jereem Richards switched things up over the weekend when he clocked 10.25 seconds in the 100m final at the Pure Athletics Spring Invitational in Florida on April 25. 

Competing at the National Training Centre in Clermont, the 32-year-old Richards placed fourth in the final behind Jamaica's Ryiem Forde (10.12s), Ivory Coast's Cheickna Traore (10.16s) and American Brendon Stewart (10.22s). Earlier in the day, Richards won heat five in 10.28s, getting clear daylight between himself and the heat's runner-up Ian Kerr (10.58s). 

TT's Jereem Richards (R) competes in the men's 100m event at the Pure Athletics Spring Invitational in Clermont, Florida. Photo courtesy SD School Photography 

At this very meet last year, Richards ran a personal best time across the 100m distance when he clocked 10.16s. The highlight of Richards' 2025 season was, of course, his stunning silver-medal finish in the 400m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. 

At the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, last month, Richards grabbed bronze in the men's 400m final in 45.39s. 

Phillip grabs six, but Red Force falter with bat

The Trinidad and Tobago Red Force bowlers picked up where they left off on the opening day of their West Indies Championship Four-Day clash with the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, as they bowled out the opposition for just 131 in the first innings at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua, earlier today. 

However, unlike the first meeting between the two teams, the Red Force batsmen hardly had things their own way, as the visitors were left in a precarious position at 85 for six by the end of the day's play. 

Coming off an emphatic innings and 271-run victory over the Leewards, Red Force captain Joshua Da Silva didn't hesitate when he won the toss this morning, sending the hosts to bat first. The Red Force didn't have to wait long to see positive returns, and fast bowler Anderson Phillip bossed the first half of the day's proceedings with figures of six for 38. Phillip bowled with good pace and hit a consistent length on off stump, dislodging the top four of Mikyle Louis (13), Kadeem Henry (13), Keacy Carty (four) and the struggling Jewel Andrew (golden duck). 

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force fast bowler Anderson Phillip. Photo courtesy Red Force

Drafted into the playing XI for this game, number three batsman Karima Gore was the only player who offered resistance as he cracked 57 off 90 balls, and was ultimately the last man out as he drove Terrance Hinds (one for 46) out to Jason Mohammed at deep cover. 

Jayden Seales also had a good day with ball in hand and returned figures of three for 33 as he took the wickets of Justin Greaves (six), Jahmar Hamilton (duck), and Rahkeem Cornwall (two). 

With the first day's pattern seemingly following the script from the first encounter, the Leewards fast bowlers quickly had their say to make several inroads of their own. Perhaps inspired after receiving his Leewards cap from legendary Windies pacer Curlty Ambrose before the start of play, Kelvin Pitman rocked the Red Force top order with figures of four for 20. Not to be outdone, burly Jamaican pacer Oshane Thomas (two for 32) once again bowled with pace and hostility to clean up Evin Lewis (18) and dismiss first-match double centurion Amir Jangoo for 13. Thomas wasn't done there, as he also struck Jyd Goolie (six) on the hand with a rapid bouncer, forcing the left-hander to retire his innings. 

Leeward Islands Hurricanes fast bowler Kelvin Pitman receives his playing cap from the legendary Curtly Ambrose

Though Phillip may have thought his exploits with the ball warranted a well-deserved rest, he has joined a watchful Da Silva (16 not out) in the middle. Together, the pair will hope they grind out enough runs to give Red Force a lead going into the second innings. The hosts currently have a 46-run lead, but with three days left, this contest is far from over. 

Roundup of scores in the West Indies Four-Day Championship after today's action. Photo courtesy Cricket West Indies media 

Summarised Scores: 

LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES - 131 (Karima Gore 57, Jeremiah Louis 19, Mikyle Louis 13; Anderson Phillip 6/38, Jayden Seales 3/33) vs TT RED FORCE - 85/6 (Evin Lewis 18, Joshua Da Silva 16 not out, Amir Jangoo 13; Kelvin Pitman 4/20, Oshane Thomas 2/32). Leewards lead by 46 runs. 

Ceren, El Salvador end Trinidad and Tobago's dream

Two clinical right-footed strikes from El Salvador captain Brenda Ceren were all it took to dash this country's 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup hopes, as the senior women's football team lost 2-0 in a must-win Concacaf W Qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, tonight. 

With the win, El Salvador deservedly move on to the Concacaf W Championship, while Trinidad and Tobago's qualifying journey ends here. Hopefully, for the sake of the women's programme, the team doesn't need to be weeks or months away from a qualifying competition before a staff and competent team can be put together. 

In December, coach Damian Briggs' TT team got a 5-0 win away to Barbados, before clawing back to get a 2-2 draw away to Honduras last month. The latter result, combined with El Salvador's comfortable 3-0 and 13-0 wins over Honduras and Barbados, respectively, meant TT needed a win tonight to top group F and move on to the next phase of qualifying. 

Members of the TT women's football team huddle during a session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Photo courtesy TTFA

In what is quickly becoming a theme when supporting the varying national teams, fans would have left the stadium pointing to the team's fight, heart, and determination. However, overall, the team lacked the sustained quality and even fitness levels to trouble the visitors. And once Ceren opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a shot from a tight angle after being sprung on the counter, TT's task became an uphill one as they needed to score twice without conceding again. 

Unfortunately, despite cries and chants from fractions of the modest crowd, a comeback never looked likely. 

Teenage starlet Nikita Gosine was arguably TT's brightest outfield player, and she took on the mantle of the home team's attacking thrust once 37-year-old captain Kennya "Yaya" Cordner was substituted in the 61st minute. However, despite her best efforts and support from her family and cheering posse, the Pleasantville Secondary standout couldn't do it alone. She shouldn't need to. 

By that time, TT were already down 2-0, as Atlas FC's Ceren scored her second in the 51st minute when she toyed with the defenders before curling an exquisite shot past goalie Simone Eligon and into the bottom corner. Ceren comes from a football-mad family, as her three siblings have represented El Salvador at the international level. Tonight, she was in a class of her own. 

El Salvador women's football team captain Brenda Ceren. Photo courtesy Fifa 

Eligon could hardly be blamed for the goals conceded, as she made some key saves which kept her team in the contest and displayed composed handling for most of the match. 

The heart and grit in the TT team came from the 16-year-old Gosine and left back Kaitlyn Darwent, 17, who deputised in the place of injured AS Saint-Etienne defender Kedie Johnson, a big miss with her bombing runs down the flank. Liana Hinds also put in a shift in the middle of the park before making way in the final few moments. 

With 42 per cent possession to their name, the hosts did have fleeting moments of quality in the final third. Their best chance arguably fell to Gosine in the 27th minute, but she fired a left-footer over the bar from a tight angle after being found over the top by Asha James. In the 56th minute, Gosine had an instinctive swing at goal after a smart swivel outside the area, but Riley Melendez was equal to the task. 

In the end, it was another disappointing trip to the Hasely Crawford Stadium, but it was a fruitful one for El Salvador as they look to take their place in their maiden Concacaf W Championship. For the TT football faithful and those at the TT Football Association, the postmortem will now begin. 

TT women's football team flanker Nikita Gosine rides a tackle during the Concacaf W Qualifier away to Honduras in March 2026. Photo courtesy TTFA

Trinidad and Tobago Starting XI: 1.Simone Eligon (GK); 4.Emma Schneider, 12.Myla Schneider, 6.Victoria Swift, 22.Kaitlyn Darwent; 7.Liana Hinds, 8.Elise Franco; 11.Aaliyah Prince, 23.Asha James, 9.Nikita Gosine; 19.Kennya Cordner (captain). 

'Yaya' ready to lead from the front

Expect skipper Kennya "Yaya" Cordner to lead from the front when the Trinidad and Tobago women's football team play El Salvador from 6 pm today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo in a must-win Concacaf W Qualifier. 

At 37, Cordner is still a big part of the TT women's setup, and is expected to lead the line for coach Damian Briggs' team as they hunt the victory which will take them to the Concacaf W Championship. With El Salvador leading group F of the Concacaf W Qualifiers on six points, anything less than a win for the second-placed TT (four points) will spell the end of their 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup qualifying run. 

Speaking to media personality Whitney Husbands earlier this week during the team's residential camp, Cordner touched on the importance of her role as team leader. 

"As the captain, I have to lead from the front because I'm no stranger to the game. I am worldwide and international, so I have to lead as the captain that I am for the younger ones, because they are the future," Cordner said. 

Trinidad and Tobago women's football team coach Damian Briggs and team captain Kennya "Yaya" Cordner at yesterday's media briefing at Radisson Hotel in Port of Spain. Photos courtesy TTFA

"(The players) have to stamp their name and authority because we have to show (the) TT (public) that women could still play the football and we could still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup," Cordner said, of the intensity that will be needed for the El Salvador match. 

Though approaching 40, Cordner said she still has a lot left in the tank to produce at this level and has a burning desire to help her country get a step closer to next year's World Cup in Brazil. 

"Sometimes people feel your age is too big of a number for you to continue the game. Age is just a number," the Speyside-born forward said. "I'm 37, and I'll be 38 in November. I may not run like the 18, 16 and 24 year olds, but I can still run as much as 70-plus minutes in a football game because once you're mentally in it and you mentally want something...you will go after it." 

She said the residential camp was integral to building team chemistry off the field, and it also gave her a chance to rub shoulders with the younger players whom she expects to take up the mantle once she and other experienced heads call it a day. 

Gates for today's clash will open from 4 pm, while tickets will be on sale at the venue from 3 pm. Regular uncovered tickets are priced at $60, while two-for-one uncovered tickets are priced at $100. Covered tickets are priced at $120. 

Members of the Trinidad and Tobago women's football team go through their paces on the eve of their Concacaf W Qualifier with El Salvador.