Cricket and the Olympics: The 1900 Appearance and the Road to 2028
Cricket's relationship with the Olympics — the one appearance at Paris 1900, why cricket was never included again, and the ICC's campaign to include cricket at Los Angeles 2028.
Cricket appeared at just one Olympic Games — Paris 1900 — in one of the most unusual matches in the sport's history. For 124 years after that, cricket was absent from the Olympics. The ICC launched a formal campaign for inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, and in October 2023, cricket was confirmed for LA 2028 in the T20 format.
The 1900 Paris Olympics: England vs France
Cricket's only Olympic appearance occurred on 19-20 August 1900 at the Vincennes velodrome in Paris as part of the Paris Exposition Games. Only two teams participated: Great Britain (represented by Devon & Somerset Wanderers Cricket Club) and France (a team of mostly British expatriates). The match was played over two days; Great Britain won by 158 runs. The 'French' team included several English players living in Paris, making it arguably the most unusual international cricket match ever played.
Why Cricket Left the Olympics
Cricket was excluded from the Olympics after 1900 for several reasons: cricket matches last days rather than hours (incompatible with Olympic scheduling); the sport had a very small international footprint in 1900 (only a handful of countries played it); and the International Cricket Council (then the Imperial Cricket Conference) had no desire to operate under Olympic governance. The 1900 Games themselves were chaotic — results were disputed and records incomplete.
The T20 Format Changes Everything
T20 cricket's growth eliminated the scheduling objection — a T20 match lasts 3 hours, comparable to many Olympic events. The ICC formally applied for Olympic inclusion, and in October 2023 the International Olympic Committee confirmed cricket would be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics in T20 format for both men and women. This is cricket's first Olympic appearance since 1900. The qualification process and team selections will be determined by the ICC.
What LA 2028 Means for Cricket's Growth
The 2028 Olympics could be transformative for cricket in North America. The United States co-hosted the 2024 T20 World Cup and already has a domestic T20 league (Major League Cricket, launched 2023). Olympic inclusion exposes cricket to American audiences who otherwise would never encounter the sport. The ICC has specifically targeted the USA, Canada, and the Caribbean as growth markets. An American cricket boom — even a modest one in a country of 330 million — would dwarf the impact of cricket growing anywhere else.
Frequently asked questions
When did cricket appear at the Olympics?
Cricket appeared at just one Olympic Games — Paris 1900 — when Great Britain (Devon & Somerset Wanderers CC) defeated France (mostly British expatriates) by 158 runs.
Is cricket included in the 2028 Olympics?
Yes. Cricket was confirmed for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics in October 2023. Both men's and women's T20 tournaments will be played, marking cricket's first Olympic appearance since 1900.
Why was cricket excluded from the Olympics for 124 years?
The main barriers were cricket's long match duration (days, not hours), limited international participation in the early 20th century, and lack of ICC interest in operating under Olympic governance. T20 cricket eliminated the scheduling barrier.