Partnership to support nearly 900 young cricketers and strengthen the pathway from school cricket to higher levels of the game
CORE Cricket, the global grassroots cricket initiative of IFCC, has come on board as a Strategic Partner of the CBSE UAE Cluster Boys Cricket Championship 2026-27, strengthening its commitment to discovering, developing and creating meaningful pathways for young cricketing talent at the school level.
“The true spirit of cricket lives in our neighbourhoods and in our schools. When we invest in the grassroots—opening the pitch to every young boy and girl with a dream—we aren’t just teaching a sport; we are building a more inclusive future and shaping the next generation of champions. This is what we believe at GEMS Legacy School and endeavour to realize for our future generations.”
Asha Alexander,
Principal |CEO|Executive Leader,
Climate Change
Organised by GEMS Legacy School, Dubai, the championship features competitions across U14, U17 and U19 categories, bringing together schools and young cricketers from across the UAE. The official fixtures feature 18 team entries in each age category – 54 team entries across the three competitions.
With squads of approximately 16 players per team, the championship represents around 864 student-cricketer participation opportunities across U14, U17 and U19 – making it an important platform for school cricket and emerging talent in the UAE.
The competition progresses through knockout rounds, with the three age-group finals scheduled for 14 October 2026.
From UAE Schools to the National Stage
A particularly important dimension of the championship is the opportunity it creates beyond the UAE Cluster competition. The winning teams are expected to progress to represent the UAE Cluster at the CBSE National-level competition later in the academic year, creating a pathway for young players to compete against leading CBSE school teams on a much wider stage.
For CORE Cricket, this progression reflects precisely what the partnership is intended to support:
School → Competition → Identification → Development → National Exposure → Higher Opportunities
“Nearly 900 young cricketers getting an opportunity to represent their schools is what grassroots cricket should be about. Somewhere among these school teams could be the next generation of outstanding cricketing talent. Our responsibility at CORE is to help create the ecosystem, visibility and pathways that allow that talent to go further.”
Mudassr Nazar,
Founding Member,
IFCC | CORE Cricket
CORE’s involvement goes beyond tournament branding or sponsorship. The objective is to work alongside schools and the cricketing ecosystem to help promising young players gain visibility, structured development opportunities, high-performance exposure and pathways beyond school cricket.
Building the 98% of Cricket
CORE Cricket was created around a larger philosophy: while professional cricket represents only a small part of the overall cricket ecosystem, there is an enormous community of young players, schools, academies, coaches, parents and aspiring cricketers who make up the “98% of cricket.”
By entering the ecosystem at school level, CORE aims to help build a more connected journey where young cricketers do not simply participate in a tournament and disappear from the system, but have opportunities to continue playing, developing and progressing.
The CBSE UAE Cluster Boys Cricket Championship therefore represents more than a competition for CORE. It is an opportunity to begin building a sustainable talent identification and development pathway from the school ground upwards.
54 Team Entries. Approximately 864 Young Cricketers. Three Age Groups. One Bigger Pathway.
From School Cricket to the World of Cricket.
About CORE Cricket
CORE Cricket, an initiative of IFCC, is a global grassroots cricket platform focused on building opportunities for the 98% of the cricket ecosystem beyond the professional game. CORE connects young players, schools, academies, coaches, corporates and cricket communities through structured competitions, talent-development pathways, high-performance programmes, technology and international exposure.
Its mission is simple: discover talent early, develop it meaningfully, and create pathways for young cricketers to go further.
Media Contact
CORE Cricket | IFCC Global – Media & Communications Email: media@corecricket.co.uk | Website: www.corecricket.co.uk
