The International Cricket Council (ICC) has welcomed the announcement of the Fairgrounds in Pomona, Southern California as the cricket venue for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (LA28).

The cricket competition at LA28 will feature six teams each for the men’s and women’s events, marking the sport’s return to the Games after a 128-year absence.

ICC President Jay Shah has welcomed the confirmation of the venue and expressed his willingness to work in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ensure the success of cricket at the Games.

ICC President Jay Shah said: “We welcome the announcement of the Los Angeles 2028 venue for cricket as it is an important step in preparing for our sport’s return to the Olympics.

“While cricket is a hugely popular sport, its inclusion in the Olympics, in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format, should appeal to new audiences and provide a fantastic opportunity to push the boundaries of what is traditionally considered a sporting event.

“On behalf of the ICC, I would like to express my gratitude for the support of LA28 and the International Olympic Committee, and I look forward to working with them and ICC members to ensure the preparation for LA28 and the great success of cricket there.”

Cricket, which made its only Olympic appearance at the 1900 Paris Games, was included in the Los Angeles Olympics following an IOC meeting in Mumbai in October 2023.

Cricket joins five other new sports in LA28 – baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (six-a-side) and squash.
The T20 format, which has been recognised by the ICC as a means for the sport to grow, has also been included in other multi-sport events in recent years.

Both men’s and women’s T20 competitions were held at the 2010, 2014 and 2023 Asian Games, while a women’s competition was held at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.