Cricket PNG continues 2026 regional cricket managers conference in Goroka

The regional cricket managers from Highlands and Momase in a conference *(Image: Supplied)*

Cricket Papua New Guinea has officially commenced the second phase of its 2026 Regional Cricket Managers Conference in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province.

The Cricket PNG team comprising Operations Manager [Conference Lead] Rarua Dikana, Special Projects Manager Tony Healy, and ICC Data & Reporting Officer Helai Willie, flew to Goroka to facilitate the two-day conference, which is being held from March 2 - 3, at the National Sports Institute.

The current participating regions in Goroka include Jiwaka, Southern Highlands, Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Madang and Morobe, representing the Highlands and Momase regions.

Dikana said the conference is a critical platform for reflection and forward planning.

“The CPNG Regional Conference is an opportunity to bring in our Regional Cricket Coordinators to feed back, review and plan ahead the next 12 - 24 months and beyond," he said. "The Regional officers are doing a brilliant job out in the regions spreading the game at grass roots level.

"We are committed to ensuring the PNG population is loving the game of cricket and we are passionate to inspire the next generation of cricketers to drive the game forward both domestically and internationally."

The Goroka session follows the successful completion of the first phase of the conference held in Port Moresby on 16–17 February 2026 at Amini Park Cricket Boardroom, where managers from the Southern and Islands regions aligned on structures, reporting frameworks and strategic priorities for the year ahead.

Cricket PNG team and Regional Cricket Managers of Jiwaka, Southern Highlands, Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Madang and Morobe, at the 2026 Regional Cricket Managers Conference in Goroka *(Image: Supplied)*

The conference focuses on strengthening alignment across Cricket PNG’s three operational pillars; Administration, Game Development and High Performance, while reinforcing reporting systems, participation targets and budgeting frameworks for 2026.

Cricket PNG is targeting the involvement of over 150,000 children in schools and communities in 2026, building on the 90,000 children reached in 2025 through structured game development programs.

The Goroka conference plays a critical role in ensuring the Highlands and Momase regions are strategically aligned to contribute to achieving these national targets.

Key focus areas for the two-day session include domestic cricket operations, game development planning, ICC data census and reporting, high performance pathways, umpire and coach education, special projects implementation, and 2026 budgeting and resource allocation.

The continuation of the conference in Goroka reinforces Cricket PNG’s commitment to strengthening governance, improving accountability and ensuring structured growth of the game from urban centres to rural and remote communities across the country.

The outcomes from both conference phases will provide a unified national roadmap for delivery, participation growth and operational consistency across all eleven cricket regions in 2026.