LA28 unveils schedule for Olympic Games, Cricket to begin early

The organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28) have unveiled the event schedule on Monday, July 14, exactly three years ahead of the Games. While the Olympics are officially scheduled from July 14 to July 30, 2028, cricket will begin earlier, starting on July 12 and concluding on July 29.

Cricket, along with a few other events, will commence before the opening ceremony. The organisers have designated these early start dates as Minus 2 (July 12) and Minus 1 (July 13). The first phase of cricket matches will take place from July 12 to 18, followed by the medal matches on July 19. After a short break, the second set of matches will run from July 22 to 28, with the final scheduled for July 29. The Olympic Games will conclude the next day, on July 30.

The detailed order of the cricket competitions has not yet been announced, but it is expected that the men's and women's matches will take place sequentially, with the women’s tournament likely following the conclusion of the men’s competition.

"The gender sequence for events in the 2028 Games is not yet available. As stated in today's release, 'A more detailed schedule with medal events and gender order will be released later this year,’" said LA28.

LA28 has confirmed that both the men’s and women’s cricket competitions will feature six teams each. All matches will be held at the Fairgrounds Cricket Stadium in Pomona, located about 48 kilometres from downtown Los Angeles. The venue is being described by the organisers as a top-tier structure, purpose-built to showcase the sport of cricket on a global stage.

"For nearly a century, this location has served as the home of the annual LA County Fair and hosts a variety of year-round events, including trade shows, conventions and sporting events. The sprawling grounds will serve as the backdrop for Cricket's triumphant return to the Olympic Games-128 years in the making," LA28 release said.

Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will hold its annual conference from July 17 to 20 in Singapore, where it is expected to finalise the qualification process for the quadrennial Games. Most likely, team identification will be based on ICC rankings.

However, there have been suggestions of holding a qualifying tournament that may also involve Associate nations. Given the tight nature of the Future Tours Programme (FTP), it is considered unlikely that the ICC will opt for a qualification tournament, and rankings may ultimately serve as the determining factor.