POMONA, Calif. (Diya TV) — Cricket will return to the Olympic stage for the first time in 128 years at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, with organizers announcing the sport will be hosted at a temporary, purpose-built stadium at the Fairplex fairgrounds in Pomona.
The decision, confirmed on April 15 by LA28 officials, ends months of speculation over where cricket would land on the Olympic map. The nearly 500-acre Fairplex, which has hosted the Los Angeles County Fair since 1922, will be transformed into the global epicenter for Olympic cricket, offering players and fans a unique venue tailored for the fast-paced T20 format.
“We’ve promised the world an incredible Olympic Games, and today we’re proud to share the plan that will make it happen,” said LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover in a statement. “Los Angeles is the epicenter of sports, culture, and entertainment, and every venue selected for the 2028 Games will provide athletes and fans the best possible experience.”
The cricket event will feature six teams each for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, with a total of 90 athlete spots per gender, allowing for 15-player squads. Cricket is one of five new sports added to the LA28 program, alongside baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash.
Organizers chose Fairplex after exploring several potential sites, including venues outside California. According to BBC Sport, LA28 considered holding the tournament on the U.S. East Coast, including New York, where the time zone would have offered prime TV viewing for India’s vast cricket audience. The Oakland Coliseum, currently being retrofitted for Major League Cricket matches, was also in the running. But ultimately, LA28 prioritized proximity to the Olympic Village at the University of California, Los Angeles, allowing athletes to fully engage with the broader Olympic experience.
The site already boasts an 8,000-seat grandstand built in 1932, which is set for renovation later this year. Although it remains unclear whether the grandstand will be part of the Olympic stadium layout, Fairplex’s versatility made it a compelling choice. The venue has previously hosted concerts, drawing crowds of between 40,000 and 60,000 people.
The temporary cricket stadium will follow a model similar to the pop-up ground used at the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York, where a 34,000-seat stadium was erected at Eisenhower Park. However, that venue faced criticism for its drop-in pitches, which played inconsistently. Concerns over playing surfaces will remain a focal point as LA28 and the International Cricket Council (ICC) prepare for the Games.
ICC Chair Jay Shah called the announcement a milestone for the sport’s global ambitions. “Although cricket is a hugely popular sport, it will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries when it features in the Olympics in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format that should appeal to new audiences,” Shah said.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and LA28 organizers ultimately had the final say on the venue, after close collaboration with the ICC throughout the selection process. LA28 officials reportedly visited the Fairplex two months ago for a final inspection before securing the agreement with the non-profit that manages the site, BBC Sport reported.
Cricket’s Olympic history is brief but unique. The sport last appeared at the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain defeated France by 158 runs in a single match after the Netherlands and Belgium withdrew. The 2028 event will mark a significant evolution, introducing cricket to a new generation of global fans through the T20 format, which has reshaped the sport’s international appeal.
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will run from July 14 to 30, with specific cricket match dates to be announced closer to the event.
