MLC 2026: LA Knight Riders get new home ground, become first franchise with own stadium in California

The Knight Riders Group have unveiled their new home ground for 2026 called the Knight Riders Cricket Field, at Fairplex in Pomona, California, ahead of the new Major League Cricket (MLC) season. Their franchise Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) are set to play a few games at the new venue in this upcoming season. 

In the past three seasons of MLC, no team has had a proper home ground, with games taking place all over the country in Lauderhill in Florida, Grand Prairie in Texas and Oakland in California. The 2026 season, however, could be the first a team will have a distinct home advantage, though it is not sure how many games would be played at Fairplex.

Having a new cricket stadium in Pomona in Eastern Los Angeles makes sense with the sport forming part of the 2028 Summer Olympics held in the same city. Cricket will return to the showpiece sporting event for the first time since 1900.

"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. I'm really looking forward to this new chapter for the Knight Riders in Los Angeles,” co-owner of Knight Riders Sports, Shah Rukh Khan said in a statement.

Fairplex is a well renowned complex in LA. The venue has played host to various sporting events, trade shows and fairs. 

"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. Fairplex continues to seek new experiences that are unique to Southern California and the Knight Riders will create the field where the community will come together and celebrate,” Walter M. Marquez, president and CEO of Fairplex, was quoted as saying. 

LAKR, meanwhile, have not had much success in the three MLC seasons to have taken place. The side have finished bottom of the standings on two separate occasions and second-bottom once.