The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalised the qualification format for men’s cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics — a decision that has sparked dissatisfaction from Pakistan and New Zealand due to the regional-based criteria.
As reported by British media, the ICC will adopt a regional qualification system where only the top-ranked team from each continent — Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Europe — will earn direct entry into the Olympics. The United States, ranked 17th in the world, will qualify automatically as the host nation, while the sixth and final slot remains undecided.
Under this proposed structure:
- India, ranked No. 1 globally, would qualify as Asia’s representative.
- Australia (ranked No. 2) would take the Oceania spot.
- England would qualify from Europe, with the possibility of integrating players from Scotland and Ireland under discussion.
This system puts Pakistan (ranked 8th) and New Zealand (ranked 4th) at risk of exclusion from the 2028 Games, despite both teams being among the world’s top-ranked sides. The format has raised concerns over fairness, especially when lower-ranked teams could qualify solely based on regional representation.
For women’s cricket, Olympic qualification will be determined by performance in the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already approved the ICC’s regional qualification model. The 2028 event will mark cricket’s return to the Olympics after 128 years, with six men’s and six women’s teams competing for gold in Los Angeles.
