ICC confirms LA28 Olympic cricket qualifier

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the qualifying tournaments for men’s and women’s cricket at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will take place in January and February 2028, following a schedule change from 2027.

Cricket will return to the Olympic Games after a 128-year absence, having last featured at the Paris Olympics in 1900.

The women’s competition has already secured four qualified teams: Australia, India, South Africa and Great Britain, based on their continental representation and performances in international tournaments. Meanwhile, the men’s direct qualification spots will be determined by ICC T20I rankings as of December 31, 2026, with the highest-ranked eligible teams from Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania earning automatic entry.

As the host nation, the United States can qualify directly for both competitions, provided their teams meet the ICC’s ranking requirements. The USA men’s side, currently ranked 13th, is in a strong position, while the women’s team faces uncertainty at 19th in the rankings.

The ICC has also revised the rules for allocating the host nation’s women’s qualification spot if the USA fail to meet the required criteria. Instead of using the Women’s T20I rankings as previously planned, the place will now be determined by the results of the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in India in February 2027.

Both Olympic qualifying tournaments will feature eight teams, comprising the seven highest-ranked eligible sides outside the automatic qualifiers and the winner of the Caribbean regional qualifying competition.

The ICC is expected to announce the venues for both events at a later date.