Cricket in 2028 Olympics: How Many Teams Will Compete?

Alongside cricket, the 2028 LA Olympics will debut flag football and squash, while also welcoming back lacrosse, baseball, and softball.

Cricket in 2028 Olympics: How Many Teams Will Compete?

Cricket will return to the 2028 LA Olympics after a 128-year absence. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

In Short
  • Cricket will return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 after a 128-year absence.
  • Men's and women's cricket will be played in T20 format with six teams each.
  • Qualification will be based on ICC rankings, with the USA as the host nation automatically qualifying.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have concluded planning for cricket’s reintroduction into the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. This comes as the sport prepares for its re-entry after a 128-year absence.

Despite being the second-most-watched sport globally, cricket remained away from the Olympics for a long time.

Once powerful national cricket boards like the BCCI and ECB withdrew their opposition to the reintroduction of the sport in the multi-nation event, it finally made headway in 2023. During its 141st session, the IOC confirmed that cricket would be played at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

In the 2028 Olympics, men’s and women’s cricket will be played in the T20 format, and each segment will comprise six teams. Each nation is required to have 15 players in their squad, meaning that the sport would have 90 athletes per gender. Players from the West Indies are expected to play for their separate nations, while English and Scottish players might compete under the Great Britain flag.

Coming to the format, teams will first play each other after being divided into two groups of three each. In the following phase, teams will play those in the opposite group that did not finish in the same position, with each team completing a total of four matches.

The resulting standings will then determine the medal matches; the top two teams will play for the gold medal, and the third and fourth-placed teams will contest for the bronze medal.

In another historic move for cricket in the USA, a new venue has been unveiled at Fairplex in Pomona, California, which is set to be used in this year’s Major League Cricket. The Knight Riders Cricket Field will serve as the permanent home for the LA Knight Riders, and is all set to host MLC games from July 1 to 5, 2026. USA Cricket, however, has not yet confirmed whether the venue would be used for the Olympics.

Meanwhile, the qualification process at the 2028 LA Olympics will be determined exclusively by a team’s standing in the ICC rankings. Five teams will automatically qualify, along with one top-ranked team from each of the four Olympic Ring areas.

Which nations are on track to secure the six Olympic men’s cricket spots based on ICC Rankings?

With the 2028 LA Olympics just two years away, it is already expected to be a spectacle for cricket fans around the world. Six teams, both in the men’s and women’s competitions, will challenge for the top prize, as cricket is all set to make its much-awaited return.

LA Olympics qualification
India, Australia, Great Britian and South Africa, alongside hosts USA, might qualify for the 2028 LA Olympics. (via NDTV Sports)

A region-based qualification system has been approved by the ICC and IOC for now. The USA is expected to occupy the first qualification spot as the host country. One slot each is reserved for the top-ranked teams from each of the five Olympic regions, which represent the continents of the world. As per the latest ICC T20I Team Rankings, the sole Asian spot is more or less likely to be occupied by India. 

The Men in Blue remain the world’s no.1-ranked T20I team, and most recently won the 2026 T20 World Cup. Europe is likely to be represented by the Great Britain team, which will comprise players mostly from England, who are ranked 2nd in the world. Africa will be represented by South Africa, which is ranked 5th. It is the Oceania spot that would see a two-way contest between Australia (3rd) and New Zealand (4th). 

The last qualification spot will be determined by a global 2027 qualifier. Because the format only allows one team to qualify from each region, major cricketing nations such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan face a risk of exclusion.

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