Team GB Cricket in the 2028 Olympics: ECB and Cricket Scotland Begin Discussions

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Scotland have initiated discussions about forming men’s and women’s Team GB cricket teams for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Cricket is set to make its Olympic return for the first time since 1900, with its inclusion confirmed late last year. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has proposed six-team T20 tournaments for both men and women, each expected to last about a week and likely to be played consecutively. While qualification details are still being finalised, the ICC’s T20I rankings will play a role. Most nations will compete under their usual identities, but if England qualifies, they will represent Great Britain, in line with Olympic standards. This opens the door for Scottish players like Brandon McMullen or sisters Sarah and Kathryn Bryce to potentially join the team.

The ECB and Cricket Scotland have begun preliminary talks to collaborate on forming these proposed Team GB cricket teams. Cricket Scotland is eager to have an active role in team management and contribute both players and staff, although the ECB will serve as the primary governing body.

An ECB spokesperson shared with ESPNcricinfo that, while it's still early days with the Los Angeles Olympics four years away, they are in discussions with Team GB and Cricket Scotland to determine the next steps. The spokesperson expressed excitement about the opportunity to compete in the Olympics and to continue growing the sport, especially with England and Wales set to host the Women’s and Men’s T20 World Cups in 2026 and 2030.

Andy Anson, the CEO of the British Olympic Association and chairman of Lancashire, stated that they have experience in other sports, such as golf, rugby, and women’s football, where the Four Nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) collaborate by nominating one country to be the primary governing body. He believes cricket will follow a similar approach. Anson accentuated that the ECB will play a central role and must work closely with Cricket Scotland to ensure proper collaboration. He also mentioned that they are helping the ECB become a fully recognised National Olympic Committee member.

Although Team GB officially includes athletes from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Northern Irish athletes have the option to compete for either Team GB or Ireland. However, since cricket in Ireland is managed on an all-Ireland basis, top Northern Irish cricketers like Mark Adair and Paul Stirling are unlikely to choose to represent Team GB.

The venue for cricket at the 2028 Olympics has not yet been decided. Possible locations include a new stadium in Great Park, Irvine, planned by the Los Angeles Knight Riders and Major League Cricket, or the Oakland Coliseum.

The potential participation of the West Indies adds another layer of complexity. A precedent was set during the 2022 Commonwealth Games when the West Indies’ T20I ranking secured their qualification for the women’s cricket event, and Barbados represented the region as winners of the Women’s T20 Blaze.

Involvement in the 2028 Olympics, scheduled for late July, would add to an already packed summer for England’s men’s cricket team, which is set to include six Test matches and white-ball series against Australia and India.