The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially confirmed the host nations and dates for the final qualification events ahead of cricket’s historic return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028 (LA28).
Bangladesh will stage the ICC Men’s Qualifier from 5–13 February 2028, setting the stage before the spotlight shifts to the United States for the ICC Women’s Olympic Qualifier from 26 February to 5 March 2028. Both tournaments represent the decisive final step on the road to LA28, where cricket will return to the Olympic programme after a 128-year absence.
Each qualifier will follow a high-stakes, fast-paced format featuring eight nations divided into two groups of four across 13 matches. Teams will play each opponent in their group once in a single round-robin format. With zero margin for error in the knockout stage, only the two group winners will advance directly to the tournament final—where the victor will claim the sole remaining qualification berth for LA28.
In the women’s competition, four of the six Olympic spots are already locked in. India, Great Britain, Australia, and South Africa secured automatic qualification after finishing as the highest-ranked nations in Asia, Europe, Oceania, and Africa, respectively.
Meanwhile, preparations on the ground in California are also hitting major milestones. The official LA28 cricket venue in Pomona County, Los Angeles—the Knight Riders Cricket Ground—is ready for competitive action as it hosts the Los Angeles Knight Riders’ inaugural home fixture in Major League Cricket, offering players and fans a first glimpse of the scenic Olympic backdrop.
When the action gets underway in Los Angeles in 2028, six men’s teams and six women’s teams will compete for Olympic gold, silver, and bronze, marking a landmark chapter in the global expansion of the sport.
