ICC confirms LA28 Olympic match details, eyes Brisbane 2032 inclusion

ICC logo. (Source - ICC)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed that the cricket event at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will feature a total of 28 matches across both the men’s and women’s competitions. Each competition will include six teams, comprising the top-ranked nation from each of the five global regions, Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, along with the host nation, the United States.

The sixth team for each event will be determined through a qualifying tournament, though details of the qualification process are yet to be announced. As previously reported, the cricket fixtures at the LA28 Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 12 and will take place at the purpose-built Fairgrounds Stadium, located approximately 50 kilometres outside Los Angeles.

Before cricket’s long-awaited Olympic return, the sport will also feature in several major multi-sport events. It will appear at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, followed by the 2027 African Games in Cairo, Egypt, and the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Discussions have also begun regarding cricket’s potential inclusion in the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia. ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta informed members during a recent meeting that he has held meaningful discussions with Brisbane 2032 organisers about incorporating cricket into their programme.

Gupta, alongside ICC Chair Jay Shah, also met with representatives from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), LA28, and Brisbane 2032 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The meetings focused on event delivery, competition formats, and qualification pathways, as the ICC continues to strengthen its collaboration with Olympic officials to secure cricket’s long-term presence on the global sporting stage.

"Cricket's inclusion in LA28 (Olympic Games) marks one of the sport's most transformative opportunities, potentially gaining access to millions of new fans. The ICC teams have been in constant dialogue with the IOC and LA28 for the successful delivery of the event in 2028. We have also recently begun meaningful discussions with Brisbane 2032 for Cricket's inclusion in their program,” said Gupta in his presentation as quoted by Cricbuzz.

"The inclusion also promises significant access to government funding allowing deeper investments in the game. Additionally, the inclusion of Cricket in regional multi-sport competitions such as the Asian, Pan-American and African Games, will provide further prominence to the sport in regions with limited affiliation to the sport. This will bolster high-performance and grassroot-level programs in several nations. The ICC teams continue to engage with sports federations/governing bodies/governments to push for Cricket's inclusion in more regional and sub-regional games," he added.

Cricket is set to return to the Olympics after 128 years. The growth of women’s sport and cricket’s expanding role within the Olympic movement were among the key topics of discussion during recent ICC and IOC meetings.