The third edition of the Nashua Junior Franchise Competition was officially launched last Saturday at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek, marking the start of another exciting chapter for youth cricket development in Namibia.
The tournament, which runs from 8 to 23 May 2026, will feature nine teams competing across the U/14 and U/19 age groups.
The competition follows the T20 franchise model, where corporate partners sponsor and own teams made up of drafted players, giving young cricketers an opportunity to experience a professional-style tournament environment from an early age.
Participating teams include AJM, Green Enterprise Solutions, Naankuse Foundation, Grove Mall of Namibia, STADIO Higher Education and Ashburton Investments.
The competition has continued to grow in stature since its inception, attracting some of the country’s most promising young cricket talent.
Ashburton Investments U/19 coach, Fungayi Hlupo, described the tournament as an important platform for player development, saying it provides young cricketers with a rare opportunity to test themselves against top-level opposition in their age groups.
“We get to pit the best against the best, so they get very valuable experience from testing themselves against their peers,” Hlupo said.
Nashua Namibia marketing manager Michelle Sansom said the company is proud to continue investing in youth cricket and creating opportunities for young athletes to develop both on and off the field.
“This is an important tournament because it’s where stars are born. We get the players used to how it will be in a T20 environment and I’m sure when they walk away from this tournament they will have learned something, made a few friends along the way and will be excited to return next year,” said Sansom.
The tournament is expected to showcase the depth of young cricket talent emerging in Namibia while strengthening the development pathway for future national players.