Cricket's Historic Return to the Olympics: Pathway to LA28 Confirmed

Cricket's Olympic Comeback

New Delhi, June 29: Jay Shah, the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), hailed the announcement of cricket's return to the Olympics at LA28 as a significant milestone for the sport. This announcement comes after the ICC and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) established the qualification pathway, which includes the inaugural ICC Olympics Qualifier, as detailed in an official release from the ICC.

Shah emphasized that the newly confirmed qualification pathway provides member nations with a clear route to participate in the Games. He expressed that cricket's inclusion in the Olympics will motivate players and fans around the globe, presenting a major opportunity to expand the sport's reach and engage new audiences.

“The return of cricket to the Olympic Games is a pivotal moment for our sport, offering a powerful platform to showcase cricket to a global audience. The confirmation of this qualification pathway is a crucial step towards Los Angeles 2028, providing our members worldwide with an exciting opportunity to compete on the Olympic stage,” Shah stated in the ICC's release.

He further noted, “The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of multi-sport events, and cricket's inclusion at LA28 will inspire players and fans across all regions. This historic moment presents great opportunities for our members as we continue to grow the game and reach new audiences globally.”

At the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, six teams will compete in both men's and women's T20 cricket events, with guaranteed representation from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

Five qualification spots in each event will be determined through a combination of ICC tournaments and T20I rankings, following the approved FTP structure. The final spot will be filled through the inaugural ICC Olympics Qualifier, set for 2027.

Early qualification has already been secured through the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, with Australia, Great Britain (via England), India, and South Africa earning spots as the highest-ranked eligible teams from their respective continents, limited to one team per region.

The West Indies will not be eligible for Olympic participation as they do not represent a single IOC-recognized National Olympic Committee. However, if their men's or women's teams rank among the top eight unqualified teams by the end of 2026, a Caribbean Qualifier will be held to determine which nation from the region advances.

The USA, as hosts from the Americas, can qualify for both events if their teams rank within the top 15 during the qualification window from June to December 2026. If they do not meet this requirement, their automatic spot will be given to the next highest-ranked eligible team based on ICC rankings.

The remaining men's slots will be filled based on ICC T20I rankings, with the top eligible teams from each continent qualifying as of December 31, 2026. The final spots in both events will be determined at the 2027 ICC Olympics Qualifier, which will feature eight teams per gender, with venue and schedule details to be announced later.

Each qualified team will be allowed a squad of 15 players. The competition format will consist of two groups of three teams, with each team playing the others in its group once, plus two additional matches against teams from the opposite group that finished in different positions.

The top two teams will compete for gold and silver medals, while the teams finishing third and fourth will vie for bronze.

A total of 28 matches will be conducted across both men's and women's tournaments, all hosted at a specially constructed cricket venue in Pomona.

Each International Federation is tasked with establishing its own participation rules for the Olympic Games, including qualification criteria, in accordance with the Olympic Charter.

ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta remarked that cricket's return to the Olympics will provide a global platform for the sport, helping it to reach new audiences and grow in emerging markets while also engaging its vast international fan base. He noted that the qualification system strikes a balance between high competition standards and global representation, utilizing existing ICC events alongside a new Olympic qualifier, and expressed gratitude to the IOC, LA28, and member boards for their support.

“Cricket’s return to the Olympic Games offers a unique opportunity to showcase the sport on the grandest stage of global sports, facilitating its introduction to new audiences and development in emerging markets, while providing the Olympic movement access to over two billion cricket fans,” Gupta stated.

“This qualification structure has been crafted to enhance competitive standards and global representation within the IOC and LA28 participation guidelines. We are leveraging the existing ICC elite competition framework and introducing a new qualification event, marking an exciting milestone on the path to LA28. We appreciate the continued support from the IOC, LA28, and all our members, along with their NOCs, for facilitating cricket's return to the Olympics,” he added.