Cricket at LA Olympics to start on July 12, six teams to feature

After a 128-year absence, cricket is set to return to the Olympic program at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games.

It will feature as a medal sport in both men’s and women’s tournaments, each involving six teams competing in the T20 format.

The Olympic cricket tournaments will feature six teams in both the men’s and women’s events, with each team allowed a squad of 15 players, totalling 180 athletes across the two competitions.

The T20 format, which consists of a maximum of 20 overs per side, was chosen for its fast-paced nature and widespread appeal, suitable to fit within the Olympic schedule and broadcasting windows.

This format ensures matches last approximately three hours, making the sport more accessible to a global audience.

Qualification details are yet to be fully confirmed, but the United States is expected to qualify automatically as the host nation. This leaves five spots in each tournament to be filled based on rankings and qualification pathways determined by the ICC.

The ICC currently comprises 12 full member nations, including major cricket powers like India, Australia, England, Pakistan, and South Africa. 

All matches will be played at the temporary Fairgrounds Stadium located at the Fairplex in Pomona, roughly 50 kilometres east of downtown Los Angeles. This purpose-built cricket venue will host all preliminary and medal matches from July 12 to July 29, 2028.

Match days are scheduled predominantly as double-headers, with games beginning at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM local time to maximise viewership both locally and across key cricketing regions worldwide.

Cricket’s original and,  until now, only Olympic appearance was the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain won gold over France in a two-day single match, recognised by historians as an unofficial Test match. 

Since then, cricket has gained prominence in global multi-sport events, having featured at the Commonwealth Games and multiple Asian Games in the shorter T20 format. 

The Olympic debut of cricket in T20 form is expected to boost the profile of the sport in the United States and promote wider development of cricket in North America, which recently co-hosted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. 

The LA 2028 Games present a very unique opportunity for cricket to expand globally, with strong commercial, cultural, and sporting impacts.