Cricket at the 2028 Olympics: T20 Format, 6 Nations and a Historic Return After 128 Years
Cricket returns to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games — T20 format, six-nation men's and women's tournaments, why it matters after 128 years, and the significance for the global game.
Cricket will return to the Olympic Games at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics — 128 years after its only previous Olympic appearance at the Paris Games of 1900. The inclusion marks a watershed moment for the global expansion of cricket, providing the sport with the world's biggest sporting platform and the opportunity to reach billions of new fans across the Americas and beyond. The T20 format will be used, with separate six-nation men's and women's tournaments.
Cricket's Only Previous Olympic Appearance: Paris 1900
Cricket appeared at the Paris 1900 Olympic Games in an unusual match between Great Britain and France. The 'French' team was in reality mostly British expatriates living in France, and the match was low-key and poorly documented. Great Britain won by 158 runs, and no medals were awarded in the traditional ceremony. The sport was then dropped from subsequent Games, and for more than a century cricket existed entirely outside the Olympic movement — despite being one of the most widely played sports in the world.
The Case for Olympic Inclusion
The ICC campaigned for Olympic inclusion for decades, making the formal case based on cricket's global reach — the sport has over one billion fans in India alone, and significant followings across South Asia, the Caribbean, England, Australia, South Africa, and, increasingly, the USA. The key arguments for inclusion included the T20 format's accessibility as a short, broadcast-friendly format; the growth of cricket in the USA (a co-host of the 2024 T20 World Cup); and the ICC's demonstrated ability to grow the sport in non-traditional markets.
The Format: T20 With Six Nations
The 2028 Olympic cricket tournament will feature six men's teams and six women's teams competing in a T20 format over approximately ten days. ICC qualification events will determine which six nations participate in each. The USA, as the host nation, is expected to receive automatic qualification. The format has been designed to fit within the Olympic schedule, with multiple matches per day possible given T20's three-hour duration. The venue for cricket matches at the 2028 Games has not yet been finalised but cricket-specific grounds in the Los Angeles area are being considered.
- First Olympic cricket since 1900 — a gap of 128 years
- Format: T20, separate six-nation men's and women's tournaments
- Host: Los Angeles, USA — 2028 Summer Olympic Games
- ICC secured IOC approval for cricket's inclusion in October 2023
- Gold medal would be the first Olympic cricket medal in the sport's history
- Qualification pathway to be confirmed; USA likely to receive host nation berth
Why It Matters for Cricket's Future
Olympic inclusion matters for cricket beyond the single tournament. It gives the sport visibility in the world's largest media market (the USA) at a time when the ICC is actively trying to grow the game there. It provides funding through the IOC to associate member nations who previously had minimal financial support. It brings cricket into the consciousness of a generation of athletes and fans in countries where the sport is currently unknown. Perhaps most importantly, it opens doors for women's cricket — Olympic funding has historically been one of the greatest drivers of women's sports development globally.
Frequently asked questions
When was cricket last in the Olympics?
Cricket was last in the Olympics at the Paris 1900 Summer Games, where a single match was played between Great Britain and France. It was cricket's only Olympic appearance for 128 years, until the sport was confirmed for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The 1900 match itself was low-key — a two-day match won by Great Britain by 158 runs, with the French team comprised largely of British expatriates.
What format will cricket use at the 2028 Olympics?
Cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be played in the T20 format — 20 overs per side, completing each match in approximately three hours. There will be a six-nation men's tournament and a six-nation women's tournament. The T20 format was chosen because of its suitability for the Olympic broadcast and scheduling model, its accessibility to new audiences, and its consistent use in the ICC's flagship T20 World Cup.
Will India participate in cricket at the 2028 Olympics?
India's participation in cricket at the 2028 Olympics is not yet confirmed, as qualification events will determine which six nations compete. The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has historically been cautious about Olympic participation due to concerns about scheduling, player workloads, and the existing T20 World Cup calendar. However, given the ICC's push for global growth and the prestige of Olympic gold, it is widely expected that India will seek to qualify and participate.