Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games organisers confirmed on Tuesday that cricket — which is making its return to the Olympics for the first time in more than a century — will be held at a purpose-built venue in Pomona, just east of Los Angeles.
Cricket is returning to the Olympics for the first time since the Paris Games in 1900 with a proposed six-team Twenty20 format for men and women in Los Angeles.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had said in October 2023 that cricket’s inclusion had the potential to activate and engage new audiences, with the sport’s worldwide fan base estimated at 2.5 billion people.
Earlier reports had suggested cricket could have been staged thousands of miles from Los Angeles in New York.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has also welcomed the announcement of the venue for cricket at LA28, in a press release issued on its website.
“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,” ICC Chairman Jay Shah was quoted in the press release.
Squash makes Olympics debut
Universal Studios will play host to squash’s Olympics debut, with the sport taking place on Courthouse Square — the mock-up town square featured prominently in Oscar-winning movies such as ‘Back to the Future’ and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’.
An iconic Hollywood studio lot and the golden sands of Venice Beach are also among an array of Los Angeles landmarks that will stage events for the 2028 Olympic Games.
In an updated list of venues for the Games, LA28 confirmed venues for surfing, triathlon, and baseball, amongst other sports.
