The International Olympic committee has finally revealed the venues for Cricket's historic Olympics return at Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The Fairgrounds in Pomona, Southern California has will host cricket at 2028 Olympics. The popular sport will be making a momentary return after 128-years.
IOC Sets Team Quotas for LA 2028 T20 Format
On April 9, the Executive Board of the IOC confirmed the structure and quotas for the cricket tournament at LA28. Both men's and women's events will be contested in the T20 format, featuring six teams each. A total of 90 players will be allowed per gender, giving each nation the opportunity to field up to 15-member squads.
While the detailed match schedule remains under wraps for now, it is expected to be finalized closer to the Games.
ICC Welcomes Key Milestone in Olympic Preparation
Welcoming the venue announcement, ICC Chair Jay Shah expressed enthusiasm over the growing momentum around cricket’s Olympic return.
“We welcome the announcement of the venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028 as it is a significant step towards the preparation for our sport’s return to the Olympics,” Shah said.
He further emphasized the potential of the T20 format to engage new audiences worldwide:
“Although cricket is a hugely popular sport, it will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries when it features in the Olympics in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format that should appeal to new audiences.
“On behalf of the ICC, I want to express my gratitude to LA28 and the International Olympic Committee for their support and look forward to collaborating with them and ICC Members in preparing for LA28 and making cricket a huge success there.”
Cricket Officially Reinstated in October 2023
The decision to bring cricket back to the Olympics was confirmed in October 2023. Cricket will be featured alongside five other sports that were added to the LA28 program — baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash.
The ICC (International Cricket Council) consists of 12 full member countries. Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe have been granted full member status.
T20 Cricket's Previous Multi-Sport Experience
Cricket, particularly in the T20 format, is no stranger to multi-sport events. It has featured in the Asian Games in 2010, 2014, and 2023. Additionally, the women’s T20 competition made its debut at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, further establishing its credentials for global sporting events.
As the countdown to LA28 begins, cricket fans around the world will be eagerly watching the build-up to what promises to be a historic moment for the sport on the Olympic stage.
Winners
Heading into LA 2028, India’s men’s team and New Zealand’s women’s side hold the title of reigning T20 world champions. Rohit Sharma was the captain of Men's team while the White ferns were led by Sophie Devine.