Cricket will officially return to the Olympic Games for the first time in 128 years, with LA Olympics 2028 set to feature a full T20 tournament for both men and women. The opening match will take place on July 12. While the medal matches are scheduled for July 20 and July 29.
All games will be held at Fairgrounds Stadium in Pomona, California, a temporary venue built just for the event, located about 50km from downtown Los Angeles.
Format, Schedule, and Global Legacy
The tournament will include six teams each in the men’s and women’s events, with 180 players in total. Each team will field a 15-member squad, and the entire competition will follow the fast-paced T20 format.
Most match days will feature double-headers, with start times set at 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM local time. However, no games will be played on July 14 and July 21. Both medal matches will follow the same time slots.
Also read UK Makes Getting a Visa Easier for Pakistanis with New e-Visa System
The venue officially known as Fairplex spans nearly 500 acres and is famous for hosting the LA County Fair, concerts, and major events. For LA 2028, it will serve as the home of Olympic cricket. With a focus on showcasing local communities and creating long-term sporting infrastructure.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass praised the progress, highlighting over one million enrollments in the city’s PlayLA sports program. “We are already delivering that legacy,” she said, promising a Games that reflects and uplifts every neighborhood.
This will mark cricket’s first Olympic appearance since 1900, when Great Britain beat France in a two-day match to claim gold.
The sport’s return comes at a time of rising global popularity. Women’s cricket debuted at the Commonwealth Games in 2022, and both men’s and women’s teams have featured in the Asian Games in recent years. The 2024 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA and West Indies. Also gave American fans a first taste of world-class cricket.
With LA 2028 now confirmed as the next major milestone, cricket’s Olympic journey is set to reach new heights.
