Los Angeles, California – Cricket and flag football are set to make their debut on the Olympic stage as two of five sports added to the programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The decision, made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), aims to attract new global audiences to the Olympic Games.
Lacrosse, squash, and baseball-softball have also been approved to join the 2028 Olympics programme. Host cities, in accordance with IOC rules, can request the inclusion of specific sports for their edition of the Games.
These five sports, proposed by the 2028 organisers, received the green light from the IOC Executive Board and were subsequently approved during an IOC session in Mumbai.
Cricket’s return to the Olympic Games, after over a century, is significant. It last appeared at the Olympics in 1900. The proposed format for cricket is a six-team Twenty20 format, which is the shortest international format of the game and will feature both men’s and women’s teams.
Cricket’s massive following in countries like India and its fast-growing global audience make it a valuable addition to the Olympic programme. The sport is estimated to have a worldwide fan base of 2.5 billion people. The annual Indian Premier League, with an estimated brand value of $8.4 billion, is one of the richest leagues in the world, attracting top players and coaches.
Flag football, a non-contact variant of American football played by teams of five, will also make its Olympic debut. American football was previously featured as a demonstration sport in the 1932 LA Games.
Baseball, which has been part of previous Olympic Games, was added to the Tokyo 2020 program and will not be included in the Paris Games. Softball, the female counterpart to baseball, has appeared in five previous editions of the Summer Games but was excluded from the Paris agenda.
Lacrosse, which appeared as a medal sport at the Olympics in 1904 and 1908, and squash, which has been striving for inclusion in the Games, will make their Olympic debut in 2028.
The inclusion of these sports is expected to activate and engage a new Olympic audience, and while their participation is currently limited to one edition of the Games, it is anticipated that their presence will spur growth and make them an attractive part of future Olympic cycles.
Pierre Trochet, head of the International Federation of American Football, expressed excitement about flag football’s inclusion, stating that it would unite the Olympic Games with America’s foremost sport in its most accessible and inclusive format.
The addition of these sports represents a significant step forward for the Olympic movement, broadening its appeal and potentially bringing new enthusiasts into the fold.
