The construction of a purpose-built cricket stadium for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has officially begun at the Fairplex grounds in Pomona, California. This development serves as a historic moment for cricket, marking its long-awaited return to the Olympic stage after an absence of 128 years.
Cricket venue for LA Olympics revealed
The project reached a turning point on Wednesday with an official ground-breaking ceremony. During the event, International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah lauded the progress, characterizing the start of construction as a "major milestone" in the sport's journey toward global integration at the Olympic level.
“These are very exciting times for the game of cricket as it makes giant strides in establishing itself as a global sport. Our focus has been on expanding the footprint of cricket and being part of the Olympic movement is something that brings both pride and dreams with it. We’re confident this venue will take centre-stage during the Games and leave a legacy for cricket in the USA,” Jay Shah said, as quoted by Olympic.com.
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A New Era for Olympic Cricket
The inclusion of cricket in the LA 2028 Olympics is set to be a transformative moment for the sport, driving expansion beyond its traditional strongholds. By opening new pathways for growth across the Americas, the event aims to inspire a younger, more diverse global fan base. This return to the Olympic stage marks a stark contrast to the sport’s only previous appearance at the Paris 1900 Games, where just two sides, Great Britain and France, contested a one-off, two-day match. That historical encounter, which resulted in a gold medal for Great Britain, was later recognised as an unofficial Test match.
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Tournament Format and Structure
For the LA 2028 Games, cricket will adopt a modern, high-intensity format, featuring separate T20 International tournaments for both men and women. Each tournament will award gold, silver, and bronze medals to the top performers. The competition will feature six teams in each category, with 90 athlete quotas allocated per gender. This specific allocation ensures that every participating team can field a full squad of 15 members, allowing for competitive and well-balanced rosters.
All Olympic matches will be held at a temporary, purpose-built venue situated at the Fairplex Grounds in Pomona, roughly 50 kilometers from Los Angeles. The tournament is scheduled to run from July 12 through July 29, 2028. Ahead of the official Olympic start, the Fairplex Grounds will also serve as a host site for Major League Cricket (MLC), featuring three matches involving the Los Angeles Knight Riders between July 1 and July 5.