Central Broward Park facts for kids
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| Ground information | |
|---|---|
| Location | 3700 NW 11th Place Lauderhill, Florida 33311 |
| Establishment | 2007 |
| Capacity | 25,000 |
| Owner | Broward County, Florida |
| Architect | H.J. Russell Seawood Builders |
| Operator | Broward County Parks and Recreation Division |
| Tenants | Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids (USAFL) (2008–present) South Florida Elite Futbol Club (USYS) (2008–present) Floridians FC (PDL) (2010–present) Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL) (2016) Paris Saint-Germain Academy USA United States national cricket team |
| End names | |
| North End Pavilion End |
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| International information | |
| First ODI | 13 September 2019: United States v  Papua New Guinea |
| Last ODI | 27 May 2025: United States v  Oman |
| First T20I | 22 May 2010: New Zealand v  Sri Lanka |
| Last T20I | 3 August 2025: West Indies v  Pakistan |
| First WT20I | 17 May 2019: United States v  Canada |
| Last WT20I | 19 May 2019: United States v Canada |
| As of 31 July 2025 Source: Cricinfo CricketArchive |
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The Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium is a super cool place in Lauderhill, Florida. It's a big county park that opened on November 9, 2007. Building it cost about $70 million! You can find it where US 441 and State Road 838 (Sunrise Blvd.) meet.
This stadium is special because it was the first place in the U.S. to get a special approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for international cricket games. It hosted its first big international Twenty20 cricket series in 2010. Teams from New Zealand and Sri Lanka played there. In September 2019, the stadium also hosted the first-ever One Day International (ODI) series in the United States. The U.S. team even won its first ODI game there!
Contents
Main Event Field: A Hub for Sports
The main field at the park was built especially for cricket. It has a huge round grass field, about 167 yards (153 meters) wide. Around the field, there's a stadium with 10,000 seats. Plus, grassy hills can hold another 15,000 people! It also has bright lights for night games and a fancy viewing area. This was the first place in the U.S. approved by the ICC for big ODI cricket matches.
Cricket: Exciting Matches and Milestones
The first organized cricket event here was the Martin Luther King Twenty20 Cricket Tournament in January 2008. Local players from India, Pakistan, and the West Indies competed. The first international tournament, the MAQ T20, happened in May 2008. It featured teams from Canada, Pakistan, the West Indies, and other parts of the world. Some famous cricket players like Javed Miandad even played!
The park also hosted the first full international cricket matches on American soil. These were two Twenty20 games between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in May 2010. The series ended in a tie, 1-1. Fans loved the games and the great facilities.
In 2012, New Zealand and the West Indies played two more T20 International games here. The West Indies team won both matches. In 2016, the Caribbean Premier League, a professional cricket league, played several games at the park.
In August 2016, India and the West Indies played two T20 matches. This was India's first time playing international cricket in America. Anil Kumble, India's coach, was very impressed with the park's facilities.
One of these matches was super exciting! KL Rahul from India scored a century (100 runs) in just 46 balls. This was the second-fastest T20I century ever! The West Indies won that game by just one run. Evin Lewis from the West Indies also scored a century in that match.
The park also hosted T20I matches between the West Indies and Bangladesh in August 2018. In 2019, India played two T20I matches against the West Indies here. India won both games, with one match shortened due to lightning and heavy rain.
In September 2019, the park hosted the 2019 United States Tri-Nation Series. This event included the first One Day International (ODI) matches ever held in the United States. It was a big moment for the U.S. national team, as they earned their first-ever ODI win!
Other Sports Played at the Park
Besides cricket, the Main Event Field has hosted many other sports.
Soccer: Goals and Teams
The Floridians FC, a soccer team, started playing at the Main Event Field in 2015. In 2016, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers also called this field home. The stadium was also home to Storm FC of the NPSL during the 2021 season.
Australian Rules Football: Kicks and Cheers
The Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids, an Australian Rules Football team, played here in 2008. In 2015, the park hosted the 49th Parallel Cup. This is an annual game between the U.S. and Canada in Australian Football.
Other Exciting Events
The park has also hosted other cool sports events. In 2009, the United States national rugby union team played a game here against Uruguay. The U.S. team won and secured their spot in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The Fort Lauderdale Barracudas, a football team, played their home games here in 2012. The entire league even played all its games at the stadium in 2013.
2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Matches
The Central Broward Park was a host venue for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Several exciting matches took place here in June 2024.
- On June 11, a match between Nepal and Sri Lanka was planned. However, no play was possible due to heavy rain, and the match was abandoned. This result helped South Africa qualify for the next round.
- On June 14, the U.S. team was set to play against Ireland. Unfortunately, this match also had to be abandoned because of rain. As a result, the United States qualified for the Super 8 stage, while Canada, Ireland, and Pakistan were eliminated.
- Another match on June 15, between Canada and India, was also abandoned due to rain.
- Finally, on June 16, a full match was played between Ireland and Pakistan. Pakistan won this game by 3 wickets in a thrilling contest. Shaheen Afridi from Pakistan was named the player of the match.
Fun Amenities for Everyone
The park offers more than just the main sports field! It has two large artificial turf practice fields. These can be used for four American football or soccer games. They can also be combined into two cricket pitches.
You'll also find regular playgrounds, a 1.5-mile walking trail, and courts for basketball, netball, and tennis. A water park called Tropical Splash opened in March 2008, which is a great place to cool off!
The park was also home to the MLS Combine from 2011 to 2020. This event helped future stars of Major League Soccer get noticed.
