Cricket's return to the Olympics set for 2028 with new qualification format

This will mark the sport's first Olympic appearance since its debut at the 1900 Paris Games.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has opted to shift from its original qualification plan - using the top six ranked teams as of a cut-off date - to a continental qualification system.

This revised model, which was approved by a majority at the ICC's recent AGM, will allow one nation per continent to qualify, aligning with the Olympic ethos of broader global representation.

Under the new system, six teams will feature in each category. Based on current ICC T20 rankings, the likely qualifiers would include India (Asia), Australia (Oceania), England (Europe), South Africa (Africa), and either the USA or a Caribbean nation from the Americas.

The sixth spot may go to the host nation, with the USA's automatic qualification still under discussion.

This change was driven by Full Member nations, who raised concerns about traditional powerhouses such as Pakistan, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka potentially missing out under a purely ranking-based model.

The USA faces unique challenges: many players in the men's team are not naturalised citizens, while the women's team sits outside the ICC's top 20 rankings.

These complications may influence the final structure, which is expected to be confirmed at the ICC's next quarterly meeting in October.