In what could be a seismic shift for global cricket, especially women’s cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to approve a continental qualification system for determining the six teams that will contest the men’s and women’s cricket events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The proposal, discussed at the ICC’s recent AGM, marks the singular, historic return of cricket to the Olympic fold after a 128-year absence, and introduces a novel “one continent, one team” selection model.
After the International Olympic Committee greenlit cricket’s inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympics, speculation was rife over just how the teams would be chosen. Initially, it appeared that the ICC might simply pick the top six sides based on T20I rankings at a pre-set cut-off date, a move that would almost certainly have guaranteed participation for established cricketing nations such as Australia, India, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa.
However, advocacy from both the IOC and select Member Boards steered the ICC towards a more inclusive model, giving each of the five global cricketing continents, Asia, Africa, East Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, a single representative, supplemented potentially by a sixth spot through a global qualifier. This dramatic pivot was made in the spirit of the Olympic charter’s emphasis on universality and global representation.
For the women’s game, the stakes are immense. The Olympic spotlight represents an unprecedented platform for growing the reach and visibility of women’s cricket, a sport that in recent years has surged in relevance but remains markedly uneven in its global spread.
If approved, the qualification process will see the top women’s teams from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania clinch automatic berths, with a possible global qualifier offering one final opening. Historically, heavyweight nations like Australia, England, and India are likely shoo-ins, but the system could mean heartbreak for the likes of New Zealand’s White Ferns or Pakistan’s women’s side, both storied teams but potentially edged out in their continental race.
Currently, India tops the Asian contingent, with Australia (Oceania), England (Europe), and South Africa (Africa) similarly positioned in their regions. The Americas are likely to see a face-off between the USA and a Caribbean nation, but the USA women’s team’s lack of a top-20 ranking raises concerns over their readiness to compete at the Olympic level.
Further complicating matters is the make-up of the USA men’s and women’s teams, with residency and nationality requirements still under discussion, an issue the ICC aims to resolve before its next quarterly meeting in October.
Unique cases abound. For the West Indies, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has submitted two proposals: one envisages an internal Caribbean qualifying tournament, while the other pitches a wider global qualifying event with regional teams. Meanwhile, England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland will unite as “Great Britain Cricket”, a formation specifically intended to comply with Olympic eligibility rules.
While a six-team roster may seem limited, there’s quiet optimism, especially among women’s cricket advocates, that the 2028 Games will be a launching pad. The hope is that this continental approach can both globalise and democratise the sport, driving development in non-traditional regions while giving established powers a new challenge.
ECB chairman Richard Thompson encapsulated the mood, telling BBC’s Test Match Special, “The preference from the IOC is to work to the ‘five ring’ principle, which is teams from each of the continents represent their continent… When we get to Brisbane [2032], we might be up to eight or ten teams, and by 2036, particularly if India secures the Games, a dozen.”
While organisers are buoyant about the potential for new narratives, the absence of some marquee clashes, most notably India Vs Pakistan, cannot be ruled out. It is a testament to both the promise and the peril of a geographically driven system, which prioritises diversity over tradition.
The Olympic Games could transform the landscape for women’s cricket. The visibility, investment, and inspiration attached to an Olympic appearance carry the power to supercharge grassroots growth, shift perceptions, and finally bring to millions the thrill of watching women’s cricket’s finest on the world’s grandest stage.
Yet, with final details still pending, especially regarding the final qualification pathways and resolving eligibility issues, there remains an air of uncertainty before the ICC’s next decisive meeting in October.
One thing is clear: for women’s cricket, LA 2028 represents not just an overdue return, but the opportunity to radically reshape the future of the game.
(Quotes sourced from ESPN Cricinfo)
