Fairgrounds in Pomona to host cricket at LA28 Olympics

ANI April 16, 2025 186 views

Cricket is making a spectacular return to the Olympic stage after 128 years, with the 2028 Los Angeles Games set to feature exciting T20 tournaments. The Pomona Fairgrounds will host both men's and women's competitions, with six teams competing in each category. ICC Chair Jay Shah expressed enthusiasm about introducing cricket to new global audiences through this Olympic platform. The inclusion represents a significant milestone for the sport's international expansion and visibility.

"It will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries" - Jay Shah, ICC Chair
Dubai, April 16: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday welcomed the announcement that the fairgrounds in Pomona, Southern California, will host cricket at the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as per the ICC official website.

Key Points

1

Cricket returns after 128-year Olympic absence

2

Six teams per gender will compete in T20 format

3

Pomona Fairgrounds selected as official venue

4

90-player quota allocated for men's and women's competitions

Excitement around cricket's Olympic comeback has been building since it was confirmed that the sport would return to the Games after a 128-year gap.

On April 9, the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the player quotas and number of participating teams for cricket at the 2028 Olympics.

Both the men's and women's T20 competitions will feature six teams each. A 90-player quota will be allocated per gender, allowing each nation to field a squad of up to 15 players.

The full tournament schedule will be finalised closer to the start of the Games.

"We welcome the announcement of the venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028 as it is a significant step towards the preparation for our sport's return to the Olympics," ICC Chair Jay Shah said, as quoted by the ICC official website.

"Although cricket is a hugely popular sport, it will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries when it features in the Olympics in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format that should appeal to new audiences. On behalf of the ICC, I want to express my gratitude to LA28 and the International Olympic Committee for their support and look forward to collaborating with them and ICC Members in preparing for LA28 and making cricket a huge success there," the 36-year-old added.

Cricket's return to the Olympics was confirmed in October 2023, alongside the inclusion of five additional sports for the Los Angeles Games - baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash.

The T20 format has previously featured in multi-sport events, with both men's and women's competitions held at the Asian Games in 2010, 2014 and 2023. The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham featured a women's T20 tournament.

Reader Comments

S
Sarah K.
So excited for cricket in the Olympics! 🎯 As an expat from India living in LA, this makes me so happy. Hope they do something about the seating though - fairgrounds aren't exactly known for great stadium views.
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Mike T.
Never watched cricket before but I'll definitely check it out during the Olympics. Love seeing new sports get added - makes the Games more interesting!
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Anika P.
As a cricket fan, I'm thrilled! But only 6 teams per gender seems too limited. The World Cup has way more participation. Hope they expand this in future Olympics.
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David L.
Pomona Fairplex is an interesting choice. Not the most glamorous location but probably makes sense logistically. Wonder if they'll build temporary stands or just use the existing infrastructure?
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Jamal R.
T20 is perfect for the Olympics - fast-paced and exciting. This could really help grow cricket in the US. Hope they do some good marketing to introduce Americans to the sport!

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Tags:
Cricket Olympics LA28 Jay Shah T20 International Olympic Committee ICC
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