In many ways, the development of cricket in Luxembourg is intertwined with the development of the Optimists Cricket Club. Founded by British expatriates in 1976, Optimists CC has a fascinating history and is the bedrock of cricket in this small and wealthy European country. The club was a founding member of the Belgian League and competes across two divisions of league cricket. It possesses a home ground which is widely viewed as one of the best cricket grounds in continental Europe (outside of Netherlands). Pierre Werner Cricket Ground is named after former Luxembourg PM Pierre Warner, who fell in love with cricket during a visit to London in the 1930s and later served as Honorary President of Optimists CC, until 1997. The ground is situated in the picturesque commune of Walferdange, which is a mere 10 minutes’ drive away from the Luxembourg City Centre. It also doubles up as the home base of the Luxembourg National Cricket Team.

The national team made its international debut at the European Cricketer Cup in 1990 and have participated in multiple ICC Europe events since 2003. While the vast majority of cricketers in Luxembourg are made up of British & South Asian expats; the cricket federation is optimistic about growing the game further and attracting the interest of the ‘native’ Luxembourgian population. It has backing from the country’s Ministry of Sport, established junior pathways and a burgeoning partnership with the University of Luxembourg, which now has its own cricket club, participating in the national league system.