128 Years Later: Cricket Set for Historic Olympic Return in 2028

Sports News: Cricket will make its much-anticipated return to the Olympics after a 128-year time off, taking centre stage at the LA28 Games between July 12 and 29, 2028. The matches will take place at the Fairgrounds Stadium in Pomena, some 50 km from Los Angeles, and will be a historic moment for the sport, which has not competed in the Olympics since 1900. Cricket's Olympic return is more than simply an acknowledgement of the past; it's a bold move towards the future, displaying a sport that combines heritage with modern flair and is now ready to captivate a worldwide audience once more.

About the competition

The 2028 Olympic cricket competition will feature six teams in each of the men's and women's categories, for a total of 180 players competing in the fast-paced, globally popular T20 format. According to the LA28 organising committee's schedule, most matchdays will feature double headers, with no matches scheduled on July 14 and 21. The medal matches are set for July 20 (women) and July 29 (men).

Each team will have a 15-member squad, making full use of the 90 athlete criteria assigned to each gender. This structure provides competitive depth while keeping the event small and viewer-friendly, which aligns with the Olympic movement's goal of attracting new audiences.

Cricket at the Olympics was last played in 1900

Cricket has a brief Olympic history; the sport was played only once, during the 1900 Paris Olympics, when two teams, Great Britain and France, competed in a two-day game. Great Britain won gold. Cricket's comeback on the Olympic stage correlates with the sport's growing global popularity. The recent 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies, included matches in U.S. sites such as Grand Prairie (Texas), Lauderhill (Florida), and New York, providing an obvious view of cricket's rising American presence.

Karen Bass, LA Mayor's statement

"When the world comes here for these Games, we will highlight every neighbourhood as we host a Games for all and work to ensure it leaves a monumental legacy.

We are already delivering that legacy as we announce there have been more than one million enrolments in PlayLA. I want to thank LA28 and the International Olympic Committee for making these programmes possible and for their continued work to host the greatest Games yet," said the mayor.