Makeshift venue in Southern California to host cricket at LA 2028 Olympics

The LA28 has announced that during the Los Angeles Olympic Games, the West Coast city of Pomona, USA, will host cricket. Announcing the venues of the Games, the LA28 said the West Coast will welcome back Cricket to the Olympic stage for the first time in more than a century. "Cricket (T20), a globally renowned sport which was added to the 2028 Olympics sport program in 2023, will make its Southern California debut at the Fairgrounds in Pomona in a temporary, purpose-built structure," the Games organisers have announced. As the sport returns to the Games after 128 years, the men's and women's competitions of cricket will feature six teams each. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has welcomed the announcement. "Although cricket is a hugely popular sport, it will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries when it features in the Olympics in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format that should appeal to new audiences. "I want to thank LA28 and the International Olympic Committee for their support on behalf of the International Cricket Council (ICC). I look forward to working with them and ICC Members to prepare for LA28 and make cricket a huge success there," ICC Chair Jay Shah stated. At first, it was planned to host cricket games on the East Coast, primarily in New York, which had previously hosted eight Twenty20 World Cup games. The plan was eventually reviewed and LA28 has settled for a ground in Southern California.