The Greatest Sporting Event on Earth, Olympics, is the talk of the town once again. After witnessing a successful Paris 2024 edition, all eyes are now on the LA 2028 Olympics, which will feature a total of 351 medal events — 22 more than the 329 events held in Paris.
What’s gaining even more attention is the inclusion of cricket, as the sport is set to return to the Olympic stage after a 128-year absence. However, there’s a twist this time. The game will be played in the T20 format, which won’t come as a surprise to many given the global popularity of this version.
What is surprising, though, is that only six teams will compete in each of the men’s and women’s tournaments. These teams are likely to be the top six in the ICC’s T20 rankings as of a cut-off date, although the exact teams have yet to be confirmed.
Why Olympic cricket will feature just six teams in LA28
- Part of Olympic Agenda 2020+5
- LA28 organisers emphasised that cricket must feature only the highest quality competition.
- The IOC wants to simplify venue plans and reduce the complexity of each sport.
Back in January 2023, there were reports suggesting that cricket might not qualify for the LA Olympics. However, the ICC later recommended six-team T20 events for both men and women to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games organising committee. After several rounds of discussion, cricket was finally included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics — officially confirmed by the IOC during its 141st session in Mumbai, India, held from October 14 to 16, 2023.
Now, why only six teams? As mentioned, the ICC recommended a six-team format in line with the IOC’s cost-efficiency goals, outlined in the Olympic Agenda 2020+5. The IOC is also aiming to avoid large squad sizes and streamline venue planning. As part of this, LA28 organisers informed the ICC that the quality of cricket must remain high, with only the best teams participating. This led to the decision to limit participation to the top six men’s and women’s teams based on T20 rankings.
Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games
| Sport | Men | Women | Mixed/Open | Total Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquatics | 26 | 28 | 1 | 55 |
| Archery | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Athletics | 23 | 23 | 2 | 48 |
| Badminton | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Basketball | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Boxing | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Canoe | 8 | 8 | 0 | 16 |
| Cycling | 11 | 11 | 0 | 22 |
| Equestrian | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Fencing | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 |
| Football | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Golf | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Gymnastics | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 |
| Handball | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Hockey | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Judo | 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 |
| Modern Pentathlon | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Rowing | 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 |
| Rugby | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Sailing | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| Shooting | 6 | 6 | 3 | 15 |
| Skateboarding | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Sport Climbing | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Surfing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Table Tennis | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Taekwondo | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| Tennis | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Triathlon | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Volleyball | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Weightlifting | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 |
| Wrestling | 12 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| Cricket | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Flag Football | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Baseball/Softball | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Lacrosse | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Squash | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
