la28-pomona-named-host-city-for-olympic-cricket-matches

Cricket is set to return to the Olympic fold after more than a century, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirming on Tuesday that the sport will be staged in Pomona, a city in Southern California, during the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

 

The matches will take place at Fairplex, a well-known venue in Pomona — located about 48km from central Los Angeles — primarily used for conventions and motorsports. While the Fairgrounds currently does not have a designated cricket ground, infrastructure is expected to be upgraded to meet international standards.

 

Cricket’s inclusion in the LA28 Olympic programme marks a historic moment for the sport, which last featured at the Paris Games in 1900. In its much-awaited return, both men’s and women’s T20 tournaments will be played, with six teams participating in each competition.

 

A satellite view of the Pomona Fairgrounds (Fairplex), shared on social media, has given fans and cricketers a glimpse of the venue that will host cricket at LA28.

Checking out satellite view of location for cricket for Olympics #LA2028. Pomona Fairgrounds (or Fairplex) https://t.co/xfq7dYyO6R. Good news for cricketers who thought they might not be nr LA for the Olympic experience. pic.twitter.com/3AfBjGfAwE

— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) April 15, 2025

ICC chairman Jay Shah welcomed the announcement, stating, "We welcome the announcement of the venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028 as it is a significant step towards the preparation for our sport's return to the Olympics."

 

"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 added.

 

The decision to reintroduce cricket into the Olympic schedule was taken at the 141st session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), held in Mumbai in October 2023.

 

Besides cricket, LA28 will also feature five other sports making Olympic debuts or comebacks: baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash.

 

The ICC has long promoted the T20 format as the optimal vehicle for the sport's global growth. The shortest form of the game has already found a place in multi-sport events like the Asian Games (2010, 2014, 2023) and the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where a women’s competition was held.

 

While specifics of team qualification and venue development are yet to be detailed, the announcement signals a major leap in the global visibility and reach of cricket, particularly in the United States, where the sport is still considered emerging.