Courtesy: PTINew Delhi,Nov 15, 2026 20:57 ISTBangladesh and the United States will host the final qualifying tournaments for cricket's return to the Olympic Games at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Sunday, November 15.The men's qualifier will be held in Bangladesh from February 5 to 13, 2028, while the women's tournament will take place in the USA from February 26 to March 5. Both competitions will feature eight teams, with the winners securing the final qualification berths for the Olympic Games.Cricket will return to the Olympics after a gap of 128 years, having last featured at the 1900 Paris Games.
The sport's inclusion in LA28 marks a significant milestone in its global growth, with both men's and women's T20 competitions set to be played in Los Angeles."The events constitute the final stage of the qualification pathway for cricket's return to the Olympic programme at LA28," the ICC said in a statement following its board meetings in Bali, Indonesia. Each qualifier will feature eight teams divided into two groups of four.
Teams will play each other once in the group stage, with the two group winners advancing to the final. The winner of the summit clash will claim the last available Olympic spot.INDIA WOMEN ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR LA28Six nations will compete in each of the men's and women's T20 competitions at the Los Angeles Games, with Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania guaranteed representation.
India's women's team has already secured qualification after emerging as the highest-placed Asian side at the Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year. Australia, South Africa and Great Britain have also booked their places through the continental qualification pathway.The Indian men's team is also well placed to make the cut.
The men's qualification will be determined through the ICC T20I rankings as of December 31, 2026, with the highest-ranked eligible team from each of the four regions earning direct entry. The USA, as hosts, will also have an opportunity to qualify, subject to meeting the ICC's ranking criteria.Meanwhile, the ICC also confirmed qualification details for its upcoming global tournaments.The 2027 Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier, scheduled for February and March 2027, will feature 10 teams competing in 23 matches.
The top four sides will progress to the World Cup in South Africa, with the winner advancing directly to the group stage.The 2028 Men's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier will feature 16 teams and 31 matches in the first quarter of 2028. Eight teams will earn qualification for the tournament, which will be hosted by Australia and New Zealand.- Ends