Cricket is back in the Olympics at LA28. The first match is on July 12, 2028, after 128 years. The schedule was released on July 14, 2025, three years before the Games.
Cricket was last in the Summer Olympics in 1900. Back then only Great Britain and France played, what is now considered an unofficial Test match. At LA28 we will have a T20 format, men’s and women’s tournaments. Six teams will compete for gold, silver and bronze.
The cricket tournament starts two days before the Olympics, minus 2 as the organizers call it. Group stage matches are split into two periods: July 12-18 and July 22-28. Medal matches for men and women are on July 19 and July 29 respectively. No matches on July 14 and 21, to give teams rest between stages.
Each matchday will have two games, 9:00 AM and 6:30 PM local time in Los Angeles. For Indian viewers that’s 9:30 PM IST and 7:00 AM IST.
All matches will be played at a temporary venue at the Fairplex in Pomona, 50 kilometers from downtown Los Angeles. The Fairplex, known for hosting the LA County Fair, will become an Olympic cricket arena for the Games.
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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has allocated 90 athlete spots per gender. Each team can name 15 players.
Cricket’s return to the Olympics is a big deal for the sport’s global growth. Men’s cricket was in the 1998 Commonwealth Games and women’s T20 cricket debuted at Birmingham 2022. T20 is also played at the Asian Games.
