The inaugural edition of the Bahamas Bowl, played in 2014, was the first major (FBS or historical equivalent) bowl game to be played outside the United States and Canada between two U.S. teams since the January 1, 1937,
Bacardi Bowl in
Havana,
Cuba. The game featured teams from the
Mid-American Conference and
Conference USA; that conference matchup has continued annually. In July 2019, the MAC announced a continuation of its tie-in with the bowl through the 2025–26 football season. From its inception to 2017, the game was sponsored by the
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant franchise and officially known as the
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. After
Restaurant Brands International acquired Popeyes in 2017, they declined to renew sponsorship.
Elk Grove Village, Illinois—"home to the largest industrial park in the United States"—picked up title sponsorship in 2018, with the bowl using the official naming of
Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl. The name lasted until Elk Grove Village ended its sponsorship in March 2020. On May 25, 2022, it was announced that
HomeTown Lenders would be the new title sponsor of the game. The winning team is presented with a trophy, since 2016 named the Prime Minister's Trophy. On October 2, 2020, the 2020 edition of the bowl was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic and related travel restrictions. After a one-year hiatus, the bowl returned to the Bahamas for the edition following the 2024 season, and was played in January for the first time. In early June 2025, the Bahamas Bowl was not included in the announced lineup of bowls scheduled to follow the 2025 season. Future plans for the bowl are unclear. ==Game results==