ICC reveals schedule for cricket fixtures at LA28 Olympics

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday officially confirmed the schedule for cricket's return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028 (LA28), with the men’s and women’s T20 tournaments set to run from July 12 to July 29, 2028.

This marks a historic moment for the sport, returning to the Olympics 128 years after its only previous appearance at the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain won gold against France in a one-off match.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), back in 2023, had approved the inclusion of cricket in the LA28.

In April this year, the IOC gave its nod for a six-team T20 format for cricket for both men and women each. A quota total of 90 athletes has been allocated for each gender, allowing every team to name a 15-member squad.

Issuing the cricket events schedule today, the ICC announced that the women's medal match is scheduled for July 20, while the men's final will be played on July 29. Both events will take place at the Pomona Fairplex, located approximately 50 kilometres from downtown Los Angeles.

In the group stage, teams will play two sides from the opposite pool, excluding the team that finished in the same corresponding position. 

For example, Group A winners will face the second and third placed teams in Group B, and vice versa.

Results from all matches will determine the final standings. The top two teams will qualify for the final to contest the gold and silver medals, while the third- and fourth-placed teams will compete for bronze.

The tournament will feature double-headers on most matchdays, with matches scheduled to begin at 9am and 6:30pm local time.

The inclusion of cricket at LA28 is seen as a significant step in expanding the sport’s global reach, offering exposure on one of the world’s largest sporting stages.

While the qualification process is yet to be finalised, discussions are expected at the ICC’s Annual Conference in Singapore, starting July 17.

In a statement, LA28 confirmed that the gender sequence and detailed schedule will be announced later this year.

"The gender sequence for events in the 2028 Games is not yet available. As stated in today's release, a more detailed schedule with medal events and gender order will be released later this year," LA28 said.

It is anticipated that the T20I rankings at a specific cut-off date will be used to determine the six participating teams. 

A key question remains whether the US, as host nation, will receive automatic qualification, which could reduce the number of spots available to other nations.