Venue Announced for Cricket at the 2028 LA Olympics

Cricket will return to the Olympic Games after a record 128-year hiatus

Cricket will return to the Olympic Games after a long time at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the sport’s first appearance since 1900. Great Britain beat France in Paris to win gold the last time cricket was featured at the Olympics.

Things will be different this time around, with men’s and women’s competitions to be included. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a statement in October 2023 that cricket will be included at the 2028 Games, citing the game’s worldwide presence and ability to attract new viewers. Cricket has an estimated audience of almost 2.3 billion.

Return of Cricket In the Olympics

In addition to cricket, flag football and squash will debut their Olympic presence, with baseball/softball and lacrosse to make their return.

The IOC has subsequently agreed that the cricket competition would be staged at the Fairgrounds in Pomona, Southern California. A temporary purpose-built venue will accommodate the men’s and women’s competition. A similar pop-up stadium was effectively employed at the 2024 T20 World Cup, staged in the United States and the Caribbean. That ground accommodated big-name matches, including the eagerly awaited India–Pakistan clash, with large audiences and worldwide watching.

The suggested Fairplex site covers 500 acres and is around 50 kilometers east of Los Angeles—around an hour’s drive from the athletes’ village. The site has been home to the Los Angeles County Fair since 1922 and is reputed for its capacity to stage large-scale events.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) was pleased with the venue announcement on its official website.

We embrace the news of the venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028 as a key step towards preparation for the return of our sport to the Olympics,” stated Jay Shah, ICC chair. “Even though cricket is an immensely popular sport, it will be a great chance to open up conventional boundaries when it appears in the Olympics in the quick-fire, thrilling T20 format that should attract new audiences.