Cricket will officially return to the Olympic Games at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, marking the sport’s first appearance at the global event in 128 years. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the T20 format will be used for both men’s and women’s tournaments, with six teams in each category set to compete over a two-week period.
Tournament schedule and venue details revealed
The men’s and women’s cricket tournaments will begin on July 12, 2028, with the women’s medal match scheduled for July 20 and the men’s final to be held on July 29.
“Following the announcement of the confirmed number of teams and the venue for LA28 back in April, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the T20 competitions for the men’s and women’s categories at LA28 will run from 12 July to 29 July 2028. The medal matches will be held on 20 July (women’s) and 29 July (men’s) respectively,” — the ICC stated in an official release.
All matches will take place at the Fairplex in Pomona, a temporary venue located roughly 50 kilometers east of downtown Los Angeles. The venue will host double-headers on most matchdays, with fixtures starting at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM local time. Rest days are planned for July 14 and July 21 to accommodate recovery and logistics.
Each participating team will consist of a 15-player squad, with 90 athletes per tournament, totaling 180 cricketers competing for Olympic gold.
A historic return for cricket
The 2028 Games will mark cricket’s second-ever Olympic appearance, the first being in 1900 at the Paris Games, where Great Britain defeated France in the only match played.
This return reflects the sport’s growing global footprint. Women’s cricket debuted at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and both men’s and women’s teams have participated in the Asian Games in 2010, 2014, and 2023. Cricket’s recent expansion into the United States—highlighted by the T20 World Cup 2024 matches in Grand Prairie, Lauderhill, and New York—also aligns with its Olympic inclusion in LA.
Qualification criteria still undecided
Despite the confirmation of dates and venue, the pathway for teams to qualify for LA28 remains undecided. The issue is set to be discussed during the ICC’s Annual Conference in Singapore starting July 17, with several options reportedly on the table.
Possibilities include using the ICC T20 rankings, organizing a standalone qualifying tournament, or some combination of both. There is also speculation around whether the host nation, the United States, will receive automatic qualification. Additionally, ensuring inclusion of associate nations—a core Olympic principle—remains a point of discussion.
The final decision is expected post-conference, and will be crucial in shaping what many anticipate will be one of the most globally inclusive cricket events in history.
Cricket’s Olympic debut a boost for global expansion
Cricket’s inclusion at LA28 is more than symbolic—it represents the ICC’s long-term push to grow the game globally, especially in emerging markets like the United States. With a T20 format tailored for global audiences, its Olympic presence could accelerate the sport’s recognition in non-traditional markets and possibly open the door to its permanent inclusion in future Olympic cycles.
As anticipation builds for LA28, stakeholders across the cricketing world now await clarity on qualification—while the sport prepares for its return to the world’s biggest sporting stage.
