Cricket will make its long-awaited return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028 (LA28), with the first match scheduled for July 12 and medal matches set to be played on July 20 and 29. All fixtures will take place at the Fairgrounds Stadium in Pomona, a temporary venue constructed specifically for the event, located approximately 50 km from downtown Los Angeles.
The tournament will feature six teams each in the men’s and women’s T20 competitions, comprising a total of 180 players. Each squad will be allowed to name up to 15 players. The format will include multiple double -headers, with no matches scheduled for July 14 and 21. Matches are set to begin at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM local time, including on the days of the medal contests.
This marks cricket’s first appearance at the Olympics since 1900, when only two nations – Great Britain and France – took part in a single two-day match. Great Britain emerged victorious to claim the sport’s only Olympic gold medal to date.
The venue, officially known as Fairplex, spans nearly 500 acres and has served as the long-standing home of the LA County Fair since 1922. It frequently hosts a wide range of events, including concerts, trade shows, and sports tournaments.
“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,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a statement. “We are already delivering that legacy as we announce there have been more than one million enrollments in PlayLA.”
Bass also expressed gratitude to the LA28 Organizing Committee and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for their efforts in bringing new sports and community programs to the Games.
Cricket’s inclusion at LA28 is seen as a major milestone in the sport’s global expansion. Women’s cricket debuted at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, and both men’s and women’s formats have featured at the Asian Games in 2010, 2014, and most recently in 2023. The T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies, further underscored cricket’s rising profile in North America, with matches held in Grand Prairie, Lauderhill, and New York.
The return of cricket to the Olympics is expected to boost the sport’s visibility and audience, particularly in non-traditional markets like the United States, where efforts are ongoing to deepen its roots.
