Cricket is set to make a historic return to the Olympic Games after more than a century, with the sport scheduled to feature in the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics. The T20 format has been chosen for both men’s and women’s tournaments, which will take place from July 12 to 29, 2028. The matches will be held at a newly constructed temporary stadium at the Fairplex in Pomona, California—about 50 kilometers east of Los Angeles.
The inclusion of cricket in LA 2028 marks only the second time the sport has appeared in the Olympic Games, the first being in 1900 when Great Britain played against France. This time, the much shorter and more dynamic T20 format is expected to attract wider viewership and engage new audiences, particularly in North America.
Each tournament will feature six teams, and every participating nation will field a squad of 15 players. The women’s gold medal match is scheduled for July 20, while the men’s final will be played on July 29, bringing the month-long Olympic cricket spectacle to a close. The tournament format includes group-stage fixtures followed by semifinals and finals, with double-headers planned on most match days. July 14 and July 21 will be official rest days during the competition.
The stadium at Pomona will be a pop-up structure, following the model used successfully during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the United States. With seating and infrastructure built specifically for the Olympic event, the venue aims to provide world-class facilities while remaining cost-effective and temporary. The location within Los Angeles County will allow participating athletes to stay at the main Olympic Village, easing logistical coordination.
Cricket’s reintroduction has been welcomed by players, fans, and cricket boards around the world. Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli, among others, has expressed excitement at the sport gaining a global spotlight through the Olympics. The inclusion is also expected to boost cricket’s presence in the United States, a rapidly growing market for the game due to the large South Asian and Caribbean diaspora and the recent development of professional T20 leagues like Major League Cricket.
Beyond the competition, Olympic exposure is likely to play a crucial role in the sport’s future growth. With the IOC seeking to modernize and globalize the Games, the addition of cricket—along with baseball/softball, lacrosse, flag football, and squash—reflects a broader effort to diversify sports and attract younger, more international audiences.
The LA 2028 Olympic cricket tournament is poised to be a major milestone not just for the sport’s history, but for its global ambitions. It offers a unique platform to showcase cricket’s fast-paced T20 format to millions of new viewers and reinforces the sport’s evolution from a regional powerhouse to a truly international game. As preparations ramp up in the lead-up to 2028, the cricketing world is gearing up for what could be one of the most transformative moments in the sport’s modern era.