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Cricket Returns to Olympics After 128 Years, Six Teams to Compete in LA 2028
Los Angeles, April 10, 2025 – After more than a century, cricket is all set to make a historic comeback at the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that the sport will feature in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with six men’s and six women’s teams participating in the T20 format.
This marks cricket’s return to the Games after its only appearance in 1900 in Paris. Back then, just one two-day match was played between Great Britain and France, which is now recognized as an unofficial Test.
As announced by the organisers on Wednesday, each participating team will be allowed to name a 15-player squad, totaling 90 athletes per gender.
How Teams Will Qualify for LA 2028
While the qualification process is still being finalized, the host nation — the United States — is expected to gain automatic entry into both the men’s and women’s events. The remaining five spots in each category are likely to go to the top five teams in the ICC rankings by a specified cut-off date.
Currently, the ICC has 12 full member nations including India, Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, West Indies, Ireland, and Zimbabwe. An additional 94 countries fall under the associate member category.
A New Era for Cricket and Olympic Sports
Cricket is one of five new sports added to the LA 2028 program, alongside baseball/softball, flag football, squash, and lacrosse (sixes). This decision was approved by the IOC in 2023, aiming to modernize the Games and appeal to a global audience.
In total, 351 medal events will be held at the 2028 Olympics, a notable increase from Paris 2024. The overall athlete quota remains capped at 10,500, with an additional 698 slots reserved for the new sports.
Gender Parity in Focus
For the first time in Olympic history, all team sports in LA 2028 will feature an equal number of men's and women's teams. In a major move towards gender parity, boxing will also have the same number of weight categories for men and women.
The inclusion of both men’s and women’s cricket teams reflects the IOC’s growing commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity in global sports.
