On the 5^th March2026 an agreement was signed between Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid -Universidad Europea and Asociación Cricket España to bridge the gap between elite academic sports marketing and the fast-growing cricket market in Spain.

This collaboration was signed by Mr. Jaime Barrio Guerra, Director of Finances& Group Controller in Universidad Europea and Mr. Juan Carlos Rodríguez Martínez President of Cricket España, under the Convenio de Cooperación Educativa para la Realización de Prácticas Externas Curriculares y Extracurriculares, making it a huge step taken towards the professionalisation of this sport in the region and in Spain.

The Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid, founded in the year 2006, is a leading Sports Education entity in the world. Co-directed by Real Madrid Executives like Mr. Emilio Butragueño, itleverages the values and success of one of the iconic football clubs in the world and boasts a students’ network of over 14,000 individuals. This partnership with Cricket España fits perfectly with the University’s outlook to be associated with an organisation that has 25 years of history and is the governing body for the sport of cricket in Spain, as recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) of which it is an Associate Member since 1992.

Defying the prejudice of being a minor sport in Spain, cricket is the second largest sport in the world with 2,500 millions of people playing it. The ICC rules cricket in the world and belongs to the Association of International Olympic Committee Recognised InternationalSports Federations (ARISF) since 2009. Cricket España is also a partner ofthe European Cricket Network (ECN) since 2018, a private entity that organises men and women’s cricket tournaments in Europe every year. The Spanish Cricket National Team currently holds three T20 International world records despite of the fact that majority of its players are amateurs and so do not play in professional leagues where players get paid for playing.
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As a master’s student in sports marketing at the University, Trisha Prashant Hiredesai, born in India, has been selected to join Cricket España as an intern from March until the end of May 2026.

"For me, this is more than a professional placement; it is my life coming in a full circle. From where I come from in India, cricket is considered a religion. Moving to Madrid and experiencing a very similar devotion for another sport (Football), it was a cultural shock. But it only made me sure about my feelings and passion for the sport, which crossed borders to stay with me. This internship gives me the confidence of knowing the sport I love like the back of my hand and it gives me a sense of satisfaction to be able to contribute to the growth of this sport here at the place I call my home in a meaningful way. My objective for this new professional role is to apply the strategic tools of the Real Madrid Graduate School to build for Cricket España and help maintain its competitive advantage. In a country where Football is the way of life, I’m excited to help prove that there’s enough room for a sport that already has a very strong foundation in Spain."

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