In a historic move, cricket will return to the Olympic Games after a 128-year hiatus, making its much-anticipated comeback at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The sport will be played in the fast-paced T20 format, with both men’s and women’s tournaments included — marking a major milestone for global cricket.
The cricket tournament is scheduled to run from July 12 to July 29, 2028, with matches held at the temporary Fairgrounds Stadium in Pomona, California. This expansive 500-acre venue, which regularly hosts the LA County Fair and other major events, will be transformed to accommodate cricket for the very first time on the Olympic stage.
Both the men’s and women’s events will feature six teams each, and a total of 180 players will participate, with 15-player squads per team. The format includes morning and evening double-headers, designed to optimize global broadcast timings and enhance spectator engagement. The women’s final is set for July 20, while the men’s final will take place on July 29.
This will be cricket’s second appearance at the Olympic Games. The sport last featured in the 1900 Paris Olympics, when only a single match was played between Great Britain and France. The re-inclusion of cricket aligns with growing international popularity, particularly in the United States, which co-hosted the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup and saw record-breaking interest and attendance.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is collaborating with national boards to finalize a transparent and performance-based qualification system, ensuring that top teams earn their place at the Games. The inclusion of cricket alongside other new Olympic sports such as baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash reflects the IOC’s vision for global diversity and youth engagement.
The return of cricket is expected to bring a massive viewership boost, especially from South Asian, Australian, and British fans. It also marks a new chapter in cricket’s globalization, with the LA28 Games providing an ideal platform to introduce the sport to a broader North American audience.
With its Olympic return now official, cricket stands poised to make a powerful impact at LA 2028 — not only as a competition but as a global celebration of the sport’s evolution and reach
