The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have confirmed the qualification process for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games at LA28. This pathway introduces the first-ever ICC Olympics Qualifier.
Each of the Men’s and Women’s T20 competitions will feature six nations. All matches are scheduled to be played at a purpose-built cricket venue located in Pomona.
Qualification Pathways Detailed
Five of the six qualification spots for each event will be determined through a combination of existing ICC events and ICC T20I rankings. The sixth and final place in both the Men’s and Women’s competitions will be decided by the newly established ICC Olympics Qualifier, which is set for 2027.
For the women’s competition, the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 has already confirmed some participants for LA28. Australia, Great Britain (represented by England), India, and South Africa have qualified as the highest-placed teams from Oceania, Asia, Europe, and Africa, respectively.
The USA, as the host nation, is eligible to qualify for both the Men’s and Women’s events. This eligibility is contingent on them being within the top 15 of the relevant ICC T20I rankings by the cut-off date of 31 December 2026.
Should the USA women’s team not meet this ranking criterion, a fifth automatic qualification spot will be awarded to the highest-placed non-qualified nation in the ICC T20I rankings from any continent as of 1 March 2027. Similarly, if the USA men’s team does not meet the criteria, the fifth automatic qualification spot will go to the next-highest-ranked nation from any continent that has not yet qualified by 31 December 2026.
For the Men’s competition, five of the six nations will be determined by ICC Men’s T20I rankings. The highest-ranked eligible teams from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania on 31 December 2026 will progress to LA28, provided they are within the top 15 of the rankings.
Regional and Global Qualifiers
The West Indies, as a composite ICC member representing multiple Caribbean nations and not recognised as an IOC National Olympic Committee (NOC), are ineligible to participate directly in the Olympic Games. However, if their men’s and women’s teams are among the eight highest-ranked teams not yet qualified by 31 December 2026, the ICC will organise a dedicated Caribbean Qualifier event. This event will determine which NOC will represent the region at the ICC Olympics Qualifier.
The sixth and final spot for both Men’s and Women’s competitions will be decided at the inaugural ICC Olympics Qualifier 2027. This event will feature eight nations in both the Men’s and Women’s fields. The date and host nation for this qualifier are yet to be confirmed.
Seven teams in each ICC Olympics Qualifier will be the next highest-ranked teams on the relevant ICC T20I rankings, excluding those that have already secured a place at the LA28 Olympic Games.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah stated that cricket’s return to the Olympic Games is a significant moment for the sport, offering a powerful opportunity to showcase cricket globally. He added that the confirmation of the qualification pathway is an important step towards Los Angeles 2028, providing a clear route to the Olympic stage for members worldwide.
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta highlighted that cricket’s return to the Olympic Games provides a unique global platform, supporting its introduction to new audiences and development in emerging markets. He also noted that it offers the Olympic movement access to over two billion cricket fans.
Gupta further explained that the qualification structure aims to optimise competitive standards and global representation, aligning with IOC and LA28 participation guidelines. He mentioned leveraging the existing ICC elite competition structure and introducing a new qualification event as an exciting milestone on the journey to LA28.
Tournament Structure
The six teams in the Olympic competition will be divided into groups of three. Each team will play against every other team in its group once. Following this, they will play two additional matches against teams from the opposite group that did not finish in the same position.
The top two teams after these matches will compete for the gold and silver medals. The third and fourth-placed nations will play for the bronze medal. Nations qualifying for the Games will be able to select a squad of 15 players.
For the men’s competition, Australia is currently positioned ahead of New Zealand by 13 ratings points on the ICC’s T20 rankings after their 3-0 victory in Bangladesh. Mitch Marsh’s side is scheduled to play five T20Is against England at home in November.
New Zealand will host India for their own five-game T20I series in late October. The USA men’s team is currently ranked 13th, meeting the minimum top 15 requirement for the qualification period.
The USA women’s team is currently ranked 20th in women’s T20Is. They are approximately 40 ratings points behind the UAE, which is ranked 15th. The USA women’s team does not have any matches scheduled for the remainder of 2026.
New Zealand currently holds the position as the ICC’s fourth-ranked team in women’s T20Is, with a lead of 11 rating points over Sri Lanka, which is ranked sixth.
A ‘Team GB‘ side will compete in cricket at the LA28 Olympic Games, with the IOC providing dispensation for this combined team from the United Kingdom’s home nations.
A total of 28 matches will be played across both the men’s and women’s events.
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Source: icc-cricket.com
