New Delhi, Nov 7 – The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that cricket will return to the Olympic stage at Los Angeles in 2028, with both men’s and women’s Twenty‑20 (T20) tournaments featuring six teams each. The two‑package event will include 28 matches and marks the sport’s first Olympic appearance in 128 years.
The International Olympic Committee approved the inclusion of cricket in the LA28 programme last year. Its debut was a single match in Paris in 1900, when Great Britain beat France and took home the first gold medal in the sport. Bringing the game back to the summer games is seen as a catalyst for worldwide growth.
Key facts about the LA28 cricket event
- 90 athlete quotas per gender, allowing each country to field a 15‑player squad.
- The men’s and women’s T20s run from 12 July to 29 July 2028.
- Women’s finals are scheduled for 20 July, men’s on 29 July.
- All fixtures will be played at the Fairgrounds in Pomona, roughly 50 km from downtown Los Angeles.
The ICC also highlighted cricket’s expanding presence in other multisport games leading up to the Olympics. The sport will compete in the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya, the 2027 African Games in Cairo, and the 2027 Pan‑American Games in Lima, where it will make its first appearance in that region.
Beyond the event schedule, the ICC Board approved a nearly 10 % increase in funding for associate members in 2026. The extra money will help emerging cricket nations grow domestic programmes, build high‑performance structures and boost the sport’s profile worldwide.
The governing body announced new commercial initiatives too. It plans to issue an Invitation to Tender for video‑gaming rights, a move that could bring global partners and enhanced digital fan experiences into the fold. A data‑consolidation project is also underway to harness AI‑driven analytics and fan engagement, unlocking fresh revenue streams for ICC members.
With LA28 on the horizon, cricket is poised to celebrate its historic return to the Olympics while driving growth, innovation and wider participation on the world stage.
Source: ianslive
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