ICC celebrates LA28 stadium construction milestone

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have hailed the beginning of construction of the cricket stadium at Pomona in Los Angeles County, California.

A ceremony marking the significant occasion was held on the Fairplex Grounds in Pomona on Wednesday.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah said it is a ‘major milestone’ for cricket and its 2.5 billion fans worldwide as the sport prepares for its historic Olympic return at LA28 after 128 years.

“These are very exciting times for the game of cricket as it makes giant strides in establishing itself as a global sport,” he said.

“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.

“The groundbreaking marks an important milestone in cricket’s return to the Olympics and is a proud moment for all ICC Members and stakeholders worldwide. We’re confident this venue will take centre-stage during the Games and leave a legacy for cricket in the USA.”

ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta, who was present at the ground-breaking ceremony, said cricket’s world governing body remains focused on expanding the sport globally, with its return to the Olympics marking a significant step towards that goal.

“This is a 'ground-breaking' moment in cricket's return to the Olympic Games, both for the sport and for the Olympic movement,” he said.

“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.

“With the 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.

“The momentum for our game has never been stronger, demonstrated by the recent ICC events which saw record-breaking stadia attendance as well as broadcast and digital engagement, coupled with deep cultural and socio-economic impact.

“Strong participation growth across the world and recent ‘fan-first’ efforts by the ICC to grow key markets will further bolster cricket's march into the Olympics."

Also in attendance to mark the occasion were LA28 Vice President of Sports Niccolò Campriani, Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval, Consul General of India in Los Angeles Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, Knight Riders Sports CEO Venky Mysore, and Fairplex President and CEO Walter Marquez.

The inclusion of cricket in LA28 is being viewed as a significant opportunity to expand the sport beyond its traditional strongholds and make a meaningful impact in the Americas, inspiring more young people to take up the game and broaden the fan base across continents.

Being part of the Olympic movement helps get more funding and support from many governments and the gap between traditionally strong teams and others has reduced considerably in recent years, especially in the T20I format, which will feature in the Olympics for both men’s and women’s competitions.

The LA28 Olympics will be held from July 14-30, with cricket making its return to the event for the first time since 1900 when Great Britain played France in a two-day match.

Ahead of the Olympic Games, Fairplex Grounds will be the home venue for Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise Los Angeles Knight Riders for three matches between July 1 to 5.

MLC is the premier professional T20 cricket league in the United States, featuring six teams.