IOC Approves Cricket Qualification System For LA Olympics 2028

The qualification system for cricket at the LA Olympic 2028 has been officially published after receiving approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board, according to Olympics.com. At the same time, the IOC also confirmed revisions to the qualification pathway for surfing ahead of the LA Games.

Cricket is set to return to the Olympic Games at LA28, marking its first appearance in 128 years since it was last featured at the Paris 1900 Olympics. The event will include separate men's and women's T20 competitions, with six teams in each category. Every team can have up to 15 players, with 90 athlete quota places available for both the men's and women's tournaments. In total, 28 matches will be played across the two events.

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The approval marks another milestone in the LA Games qualification process, with qualification systems for 49 sports and disciplines having been endorsed since December 2025. Boxing and water polo were the latest sports to receive approval in May 2026. Athletics and football are now the only two sports awaiting confirmation of their qualification systems, which are expected to be announced in the coming days.

The IOC Executive Board also approved changes to the surfing qualification system for the LA28 Olympic Games. While the total number of athlete quota places remains unchanged, the distribution of spots between events organised by the International Surfing Association (ISA) and the World Surf League (WSL) has been revised. The changes aim to ensure the world's top surfers qualify while also providing fair opportunities for athletes from a wider range of countries.

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The qualification period will remain unchanged, running from 2026 to 2028, with updates made to the order and priority of qualifying events before the final allocation of Olympic spots. Overall, the LA28 qualification systems are designed to give athletes multiple chances to qualify, promote broad continental and global representation, reduce travel demands, and provide National Olympic Committees (NOCs), athletes and their support staff with more time and certainty to prepare for the Games.

Notably, each International Federation (IF) is tasked with setting the qualification criteria and participation rules for its sport at the Olympic Games, in line with the Olympic Charter. These qualification systems must be submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board for approval. All qualification frameworks for LA28 have been prepared in accordance with the Qualification System Principles (QSP) approved by the IOC Executive Board in March 2025.