NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah met International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry in Switzerland to discuss preparations for cricket’s much-anticipated return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The meeting marked another step toward the sport’s reentry into the Olympic movement after more than a century.
Cricket will make its Olympic comeback at the LA28 Summer Games, ending a 128-year absence from the event. The last time cricket appeared at the Olympics was in Paris 1900, where Great Britain defeated France in a one-off match to claim the gold medal.
The IOC approved cricket’s inclusion for Los Angeles last year, a move widely celebrated across the cricketing world. The decision reflects the sport’s growing global reach, especially in regions like South Asia, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and its increasing popularity in new markets such as the United States.
All cricket matches during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will take place at the Fairplex grounds in Pomona, located about 50 kilometers east of downtown Los Angeles.
In a post on social media platform X, Shah shared details of his meeting with Coventry.
“It was a pleasure to meet with IOC President Kirsty Coventry to continue our ongoing discussions on the road to LA28 and cricket’s return to the Olympic Games. We reflected on the progress made so far and the significant role cricket can play in the growth of the Olympic movement,” Shah wrote.
Shah’s meeting with Coventry was part of the ICC’s continued collaboration with the IOC to ensure a smooth integration of cricket into the Olympic framework. The two leaders reportedly discussed infrastructure, scheduling, and the sport’s potential to attract new audiences to the Games.
Cricket at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will be played in the T20 format, one of the fastest-paced and popular versions of the game. Both men’s and women’s tournaments will feature six teams each, ensuring gender parity in participation.
Each tournament will allow 90 athlete slots, enabling countries to field 15-member squads. The T20 competitions will run from July 12 to July 29, 2028, with the women’s gold medal match scheduled for July 20 and the men’s final set for July 29.
The compact schedule is designed to showcase cricket’s intensity and entertainment value while fitting seamlessly into the broader Olympic calendar.
Jay Shah has been a central figure in bringing cricket back to the Olympic stage. As ICC chairman, he has actively engaged with global sporting bodies to advocate for the sport’s inclusion in the Olympics.
Earlier this year, Shah attended the IOC presidential elections in Greece, where Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and the first African to be elected as IOC President. His presence highlighted the ICC’s growing engagement with the Olympic movement and its commitment to expanding cricket’s international footprint.
Shah also met with former IOC President Thomas Bach and senior officials in January 2024 during an LA 2028 International Federations seminar at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland. That meeting focused on key areas of cooperation between the ICC and IOC in preparation for the LA28 Games.
The return of cricket to the Olympics is expected to boost the sport’s visibility, particularly in the United States, a country where cricket’s fan base is expanding rapidly. The LA28 organizing committee has emphasized the importance of including sports that engage diverse global audiences, and cricket fits that vision perfectly.
The T20 format’s quick pace and global appeal are likely to attract both traditional cricket fans and new viewers. Experts believe the Olympic spotlight will further strengthen the sport’s commercial and cultural presence worldwide.
