Cricket is officially making a grand comeback to the Olympics after 128 years, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirming its inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics. Both men’s and women’s T20 cricket tournaments will be featured, each with six participating nations and 90 players per gender.
The fast-paced T20 format was chosen to capture global attention, especially from younger audiences and emerging markets. The move aligns with the IOC’s mission to modernize the Olympic roster and foster gender equality in sport.
Cricket’s Olympic journey began back in 1900, but it was dropped from subsequent editions. Its re-entry has been in the making since 2021, when the International Cricket Council (ICC) launched an official bid to bring the sport back to the Games. With the rapid global growth of T20 leagues and increasing international viewership, the timing was ideal.
🔍 Key Highlights:
- Format: T20 Cricket
- Participants: 6 men’s teams + 6 women’s teams
- Total Players: 180 (90 men, 90 women)
- Host Nation (USA): Automatically qualifies
- Qualification: Yet to be finalized (expected via rankings and regional qualifiers)
- Other New Sports at LA 2028: Flag football, lacrosse, squash, baseball/softball
Cricket joins a list of new-age sports introduced to the Olympic program for LA 2028, aimed at increasing youth engagement and diversifying the Games. This decision not only boosts cricket’s global presence but also opens up opportunities for lesser-known cricketing nations to shine on the world stage.
Fans are eagerly anticipating the return, which will add a unique flavor to the 2028 Olympics and potentially set the stage for long-term inclusion of cricket in future editions.
