Cricket will officially return to the Olympic Games after an absence of 128 years after it was approved as an Olympic game in 2023, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approving the qualification system for the men’s and women’s tournaments at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The approval marks another significant milestone in preparations for LA28, where cricket will feature for the first time since its lone Olympic appearance at the Paris 1900 Games. The sport will be contested in the fast-paced Twenty20 (T20) format, with six teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions battling for Olympic glory.
The newly approved qualification framework outlines the pathway national teams must navigate over the next two years to secure one of the coveted places at the Games. It also provides athletes, national federations and Olympic committees with greater certainty as preparations intensify for Los Angeles.
The announcement forms part of a wider rollout of qualification systems for LA28, with the IOC Executive Board continuing to endorse qualification criteria across the Olympic programme. Athletics and football remain the only sports yet to have their qualification systems formally confirmed.
Six-Team Olympic Tournament Confirmed
Each of the men’s and women’s cricket competitions will feature six national teams, with each squad permitted to register up to 15 players. A total of 90 athlete quota places have been allocated for each gender, while 28 matches will be played across the two tournaments during the Games.
The qualification system has been designed in line with the IOC’s Qualification System Principles, which were approved in March 2025. Under the Olympic Charter, every International Federation is responsible for establishing qualification rules for its respective sport before receiving final approval from the IOC Executive Board.
The qualification criteria are intended to create clear and transparent pathways while ensuring the strongest teams have the opportunity to qualify alongside nations from different continents, promoting the Olympic values of universality and global representation.
Cricket’s return is expected to be one of the headline attractions at LA28, reflecting the sport’s expanding global reach and growing popularity across established and emerging markets.
IOC Continues Rollout of Qualification Systems
The approval of cricket’s qualification process follows the IOC’s endorsement of qualification systems for 49 sports and disciplines since December 2025. Earlier this year, qualification systems for boxing and water polo also received approval during the Executive Board meeting in May.
Only athletics and football remain outstanding, with both qualification systems expected to be released in the coming days as organisers continue finalising the framework for the Los Angeles Games.
The IOC said the qualification systems are designed to give athletes multiple opportunities to secure Olympic participation while reducing unnecessary travel demands during the qualification period. The framework also allows National Olympic Committees sufficient time to plan and prepare their delegations.
Surfing Qualification System Updated
Alongside cricket, the IOC Executive Board also approved revisions to the qualification system for surfing ahead of LA28.
The updated format increases the number of qualification places available through the World Surf League (WSL) professional tour to eight men and eight women, while maintaining the overall athlete quota. The International Surfing Association (ISA) pathway has also been refined to create a clearer qualification structure without altering the overall timeline covering the 2026 to 2028 qualification period.
According to the IOC, the adjustments strike a balance between rewarding elite performances and maintaining opportunities for broader international participation through universality pathways.
With qualification systems now in place for the vast majority of Olympic sports, attention will gradually shift towards the qualification events themselves as athletes and national teams begin their race to secure places at LA28.
Fans hoping to witness cricket’s historic Olympic return in person will also have an opportunity to prepare early, with the next ticket registration phase for the Los Angeles Games scheduled to open in August. Registration remains available until 22 July for supporters wishing to participate in the upcoming ticket allocation process.
The return of cricket to the Olympic programme represents a landmark moment for one of the world’s most followed sports, ending a wait that has stretched more than a century and opening a new chapter as the game prepares to showcase its T20 spectacle on the Olympic stage.
READ ALSO: UK Backs Hybrid Combat Vessels in Defence Shake-Up
