POMONA, California — The long-awaited return of cricket to the Olympic Games moved from vision to reality on Wednesday as officials formally broke ground on a new stadium that will host the sport at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The ceremony at the Fairplex Grounds in Pomona marked a defining moment for a sport absent from the Olympic program for 128 years and signaled a new phase in cricket’s ambitious global expansion.
For the International Cricket Council, the beginning of construction represents more than the development of a venue. It is being viewed as a symbolic turning point in cricket’s evolution into a broader global force capable of reaching audiences far beyond its traditional strongholds.
A defining moment for global cricket
Among those present for the groundbreaking was ICC Chairman Jay Shah, who described the occasion as a transformational milestone for the sport and its worldwide community of supporters.
“These are very exciting times for the game of cricket as it makes giant strides in establishing itself as a global sport,” Shah said during the ceremony.
“Our focus has been on expanding the footprint of cricket, and being part of the Olympic movement is something that brings both pride and dreams with it.”
For a sport followed by an estimated 2.5 billion fans worldwide, Olympic inclusion is expected to dramatically elevate visibility in emerging markets, particularly in the United States.
Shah believes the new venue can become a lasting symbol of that ambition.
“We’re confident this venue will take centre stage during the Games and leave a legacy for cricket in the USA,” he said.
Cricket enters a new era
Sanjog Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of the ICC, said the groundbreaking represented the beginning of a much larger journey leading into the Los Angeles Games.
Calling the moment “truly ground-breaking,” Gupta said the development of the Pomona venue would help build anticipation and cultural connection around cricket’s Olympic return.
“The journey over the next two years will see many such milestones which enhance the sense of occasion, culture and community, as cricket’s home for LA28 is built in Pomona,” Gupta said.
He argued that cricket has already entered what he described as “a new era of global growth,” driven by broader accessibility, expanding institutional support and rising international exposure through inclusion in multi-sport events.
“With inclusion in the Olympic Games and other regional multi-sport events, cricket has already stepped into a new era of global growth powered by improved accessibility, elevated visibility and stronger institutional support,” Gupta added.
Momentum builds ahead of Olympic return
ICC officials believe the timing of cricket’s Olympic return aligns with a period of unprecedented momentum for the sport.
Gupta pointed to soaring attendance figures at recent international tournaments, increased digital engagement and growing cultural influence across multiple regions as evidence that cricket’s global appeal continues to expand rapidly.
He also highlighted participation growth and fan-engagement initiatives aimed at strengthening emerging cricket markets ahead of the Los Angeles Games.
The ICC sees the Olympic platform as a critical opportunity to accelerate that progress and introduce the sport to new audiences worldwide.
A return more than a century in the making
When cricket appears at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, it will mark the sport’s first Olympic appearance since 1900, ending one of the longest absences in Olympic history.
That return now carries a physical symbol rising from the Fairplex Grounds in Pomona.
As construction machinery moved into place Wednesday, officials celebrated not only the start of a building project, but the rebirth of cricket’s Olympic story, one designed to connect tradition, global ambition and a new generation of fans on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
