LA 2028: Cricket to Feature 6 Teams, 90 Players in Olympic Comeback

Cricket is set to return to the Olympic stage after a 128-year absence, as confirmed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The sport will be featured in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in the T20 format, with six teams competing in both men’s and women’s events. Each category will see a total of 90 players take part.

The inclusion of cricket is part of a broader move to introduce five new sports to the Games, alongside squash, flag football, baseball/softball, and lacrosse. Qualification details for Olympic cricket are still pending, though the United States, as the host nation, may be granted automatic entry.

The IOC Executive Board approved the full event lineup for LA 2028 on April 9. The Games will include 351 medal events—22 more than those scheduled for Paris 2024. Athlete participation is capped at 10,500, with an additional 698 slots distributed among the newly added sports.

Cricket has been gaining traction in multi-sport competitions in recent years. It was featured at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where the Australian women’s team won gold and India secured silver. At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, 14 men’s and 9 women’s teams competed, with India clinching gold in both divisions.

The push to include cricket in the Olympics began in August 2021, when the International Cricket Council (ICC) publicly declared its ambition to bring the sport to the global stage. The ICC collaborated closely with the LA28 Organising Committee, leading to cricket’s official proposal in October 2023.

Jay Shah, ICC Chairman and former BCCI President, played a pivotal role in the successful campaign. He is now working on a roadmap to maintain cricket’s presence in future editions of the Olympics, including the Brisbane 2032 Games.