A&W has struck an agreement with Cricket Canada that will make the brand the official restaurant of the association.

Under the agreement, secured by Boundaries North (an initiative led by WEIC Sports United, formerly Teams Canada), A&W will appear on the kits and training gear of Canada’s national teams. The sponsorship also extends beyond the field, with A&W supporting programs focused on improving cricket’s accessibility, popularity and engagement for players and fans.

A&W director of marketing Amanda Wang tells MiC that as a Canadian owned and operated company, the brand doesn’t have the same international presence as their competitors, so the partnership would help increase its visibility. “When people come to Canada, they probably have never heard of A&W,” she says. “I see partnerships as a chance to introduce ourselves and start a connection over our shared interests and values.”

Wang believes that the Canadian men’s team’s qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup in June makes it an ideal time for the brand to reach out to sports enthusiasts, many of whom come from various backgrounds.

For his part, Boundaries North CEO Rahul Srinivasan says A&W’s sponsorship is key to the growth of the sport in the country, as commercial revenue from the deal (as well as those the association is receiving from recent partners such as Coca-Cola and TD Bank) will help invest in programs, resources and infrastructure.

“We sought partners to help us create community-centric programs,” he says. “These partnerships help us reach new audiences, pique their interest in cricket, and potentially turn them into lifelong fans.”

Cricket is already working with A&W and its other partners to create activations that drive Canadians’ engagement with the sport, according to Srinivasan, who adds that the association is gaining significant exposure as a brand by partnering with well-known brands.

For him, Cricket in Canada is already on a trajectory of significant growth and expansion, both in terms of its popularity among fans and its appeal to sponsors. “This growth is driven by several key factors, including demographic changes,” Srinivasan says. “The national men’s team qualification for the World Cup and the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games are pivotal milestones that also have contributed to a surge in interest for cricket.”

A research conducted by agency CulturaliQ last year found that 68% of people follow the sport at least once a week. The study also showed that cricket is popular among Canadians with an ethnic heritage from South Asia, the West Indies, South Africa, Australia and England. The research included more than five million surveys with cricket fans in the country.