Cricket is all set to make a thrilling comeback to the Olympic Games after a long gap of 128 years, with the matches starting on July 12, 2028, at the Los Angeles Olympics. This marks the first time cricket will be played at the games since the 1900 Paris Olympics, where only two teams, Great Britain and France, competed in a two-day match.
In LA, cricket will feature in the fast-paced T20 format, bringing on a rush of adrenaline and excitement to all global audiences. A total of 12 teams will participate in the tournament, with six teams in each man’s and women’s category.
All matches will be held at the Fairgrounds Stadium in Pomona, officially known as Fairplex. Located about 50 kilometers from downtown Los Angeles, this nearly 500-acre venue will be transformed into a world-class cricket stadium just for the games. The venue has been famous for hosting fairs, concerts, and sports events since 1922 and is expected to offer a unique experience.
The competition schedule is designed to maximize excitement, with most match days featuring double-headers starting at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM local time. For fans in India, these games will be live at 9:30 PM and 7:00 AM IST. There will be no matches on July 14 and July 21 to allow teams to rest and have preparation time.
“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,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “We are already delivering that legacy as we announce there have been more than one million enrollments in PlayLA.
“I want to thank LA28 and the International Olympic Committee for making these programs possible and for their continued work to host the greatest Games yet.”
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A new chapter for global cricket
The inclusion of Cricket in the 2028 Olympics is being celebrated as a huge step forward in the expansion of the sport. In recent years, cricket has been making efforts to expand global reach, with the T20 format leading the charge. Women’s cricket debuted at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, while both men’s and women’s cricket featured in the Asian Games in 2010, 2014 and 2023.
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The USA recently co-hosted the ICC T20 World in 2024 along with the West Indies, which helped grow the game’s fan bases in North America. Including cricket in the Olympics is expected to further boost its popularity, especially in countries where the sport is still in the developing stage.
