Venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028 olympics announced

Fairplex is a large 500-acre event venue that has hosted the Los Angeles County Fair since 1922

PHOTO: AP

Cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be held at Fairplex, also known as the Fairgrounds in Pomona, Southern California. The announcement was made by the LA28 Organising Committee on Tuesday.

Fairplex is a large 500-acre event venue that has hosted the Los Angeles County Fair since 1922. It is also used throughout the year for concerts, exhibitions, sporting events, and cultural activities.

Reynold Hoover, CEO of LA28, shared his excitement about the preparations for the Olympic Games.

“We’ve promised the world an incredible Olympic Games, and today we’re proud to share the plan that will make it happen,” said Hoover.

“Los Angeles is the heart of sports, culture, and entertainment, and each venue for the 2028 Games will give athletes and fans the best possible experience,” he added.

The news was welcomed by International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah, who called it an important milestone in the return of cricket to the Olympic stage.

“We welcome the announcement of the venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028. It’s a big step towards preparing for our sport’s return to the Olympics,” said Shah.

He added that cricket’s inclusion—especially in the fast-paced T20 format—would help attract new fans and grow the sport globally.

“Although cricket is a hugely popular sport, it will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries when it features in the Olympics in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format that should appeal to new audiences," he said.

“On behalf of the ICC, I want to express my gratitude to LA28 and the International Olympic Committee for their support and look forward to collaborating with them and ICC Members in preparing for LA28 and making cricket a huge success there,” he added.

The IOC Executive Board recently confirmed that both men’s and women’s cricket teams will participate in LA28. Each team will have a 15-player squad, with 90 athletes allowed per gender. However, the qualification process and tournament schedule are yet to be announced.