ICC confirms venue for Cricket’s Olympic return in 2028
Published - 23 Apr 2026, 04:15 PM | Updated - 23 Apr 2026, 11:34 PM
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The Knight Riders franchise is all set to etch its name in the history of sports. It will be a historic moment for the team and, obviously, for the game of cricket, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirms a venue for the Olympics.
For more than a decade, cricket has been in the global multiple sports event. Ahead of the upcoming Olympics, the Knight Riders have started a massive project. The franchise is preparing its own home ground in Los Angeles. It will be the home ground of the LA Knight Riders, and it will be a venue of the Olympics as well.
Cricket is in front of history
On Thursday, April 23, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta stated that cricket's return to the Olympics is a fulfilment of a promise which takes more than a century. In 2028, during the flagship ceremony, the new facility of the Knight Riders will be there to stage the historical moment.
"This is a moment in history because what we are breaking ground on today is not simply a cricket field. We are breaking ground on a promise. A promise that took 128 years to keep," ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said.
When the International Olympic Committee formally approved cricket's inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Games, it wasn't just a scheduling announcement. It was a recognition that the Olympics should reflect the sports that billions of people love. The International Cricket Council humbly accepted that recognition with our full commitment", he added.
ICC's vision is to promote cricket all over the world
In comparison to football or many other sports, cricket was considered largely a game with limited fan following, as there are only a few teams across the world that play cricket.
Jay Shah-led ICC's vision to spread cricket in every corner of the planet. Through the Twenty20 format, the game is now more accessible for many nations. Cricket has gained some ground in the European nations as well.
"I want to acknowledge the role the Los Angeles Knight Riders are playing in making this promise possible. The Knight Riders Group, owners of cricket franchises across India, the Caribbean, the UAE, and the United States, has made a bold declaration by establishing their official home ground here, with a clear view to positioning this region as a future hub for cricket in America," Gupta said.
Why ICC choose Pamona as an Olympic venue?
The Knight Riders have spotted America as a prosperous market. With the ambition to make a community there, the franchise has started to create its own facility in Pomona.
"I can't imagine a better venue than Pomona for the coming together of this promise. The best things in sport happen when ambition meets community, and Pomona is both. This site has served the people of Los Angeles County as the home of the LA County Fair, as a gathering place for trade, culture, and celebration," the CEO of ICC said.
"Something is fitting, almost poetic, about the fact that a venue built on the idea of community coming together will now host a sport that, at its very core, is all about community," he added.
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