Cricket’s Long Road Back to the Olympics
Cricket last appeared at the Olympics in 1900, when Great Britain beat France in a two-day match that few at the time realized would be the sport’s only Olympic outing for well over a century. That 128-year absence is now set to end at LA28, and the venue that will host the sport’s return has officially begun taking shape at the Fairplex Grounds in Pomona, California.
Groundbreaking and Milestones
Construction on the dedicated cricket stadium began with a ceremony held on the Fairplex Grounds in April 2026, marking what the International Cricket Council called a landmark moment for the sport’s Olympic ambitions. The project has moved quickly since then: more than 32,000 metric tons of earth have already been moved to prepare the site, and the venue recently hit another milestone by staging its first competitive match, a Major League Cricket fixture between the Los Angeles Knight Riders and the Washington Freedom.
A Purpose-Built Venue
The new stadium is designed specifically with cricket in mind rather than adapted from an existing multi-purpose facility. It will seat more than 10,000 spectators and feature eight wickets on its main square, ICC-standard playing dimensions, and six floodlight towers standing 120 feet tall. Organizers say the venue will be built in phases, with a dedicated practice and training center planned to follow in the next construction stage.
Why It Matters for LA28
Cricket’s inclusion at the 2028 Games has been closely watched by cricketing nations, including India, whose federation has been navigating the qualification pathway to reach the Olympic tournament since the sport’s return was confirmed. A purpose-built, ICC-standard venue signals that organizers are treating cricket’s Olympic debut as more than a symbolic gesture, giving competing nations a facility that meets the same standards used at major international tournaments elsewhere in the world.
Looking Ahead to 2028
The LA28 Games will run from July 14 to July 30, 2028, and the Pomona venue is expected to host the full cricket competition once organizers finalize the sport’s format and qualification structure. With construction now visibly progressing and the stadium already hosting live matches ahead of the Olympics, cricket’s return after well over a century looks increasingly like a formality rather than an open question, leaving the remaining storylines to center on which nations will ultimately qualify to compete on the new ground.
For a sport that has waited more than a century for another turn on the Olympic stage, a working stadium already hosting professional matches is as tangible a sign of momentum as cricket fans could ask for.
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