IOC accepts recommendation for cricket at 2028 LA Olympics: Final vote to come

The LA28 Organising Committee has proposed cricket as one of the additional sports for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028, pending approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at their upcoming session in Mumbai.

T20 Cricket

Unlike its only previous appearance at the Paris 1900 Games, where cricket was contested as a two-innings-a-side competition, the proposal for the 2028 Olympics foresees a limited-overs Twenty20 format for the event.

ICC’s proposal

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had recommended a six-team T20 event for both men and women.

The participating teams would comprise the top-six ranked sides in the ICC’s men’s and women’s T20 rankings on a specified cut-off date.

The T20 format was chosen as it meets the criteria of having a world championship, a compact duration, and significant spectator interest, as emphasised by LA28 and the IOC.

IOC accepts cricket recommendation

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken an essential step towards including T20 cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The IOC accepted the recommendation at its executive board meeting in Mumbai.

Five new sports proposed

The recommendation for cricket’s inclusion is part of a broader proposal for five new sports – cricket, baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash – for the Los Angeles Games.

All five sports were found to be in line with the ethos of LA28.

IOC President’s statement

IOC President Thomas Bach expressed that these proposals align with the sports culture of the host city, Los Angeles.

He highlighted that these sports would showcase iconic American sports to the world while bringing international sports to the US.

The inclusion of these sports would allow the Olympics to engage with new athletes and fan communities in the US and globally.

The final event programme and number of athlete quotas for the additional sports will be determined in the future, pending approval at the IOC’s session in Mumbai from October 14 to 16.

Sport enthusiasts await the outcome of the vote, which may see the popular game make a return to the Olympic stage in a new avatar.