New Sports Added to the 2028 Olympics: What Fans Need to Know

Baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash will all feature at LA28, each bringing their unique histories, rules, and global followings to the Olympic stage. Whether you’re a dedicated fan of these sports or completely new to them, this guide will prepare you for what to expect when these sports make their Olympic debut (or return) in 2028.

The Five New Sports at LA28: An Overview

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the LA28 Organizing Committee announced these five sports as part of their commitment to making the Olympic Games more relevant to younger audiences while honoring sporting traditions from around the world. Each sport was carefully evaluated based on criteria including global popularity, gender equality, and youth appeal.

These additions will bring the total number of sports at LA28 to an unprecedented level, with the Games featuring 28 more medal events than Paris 2024. Importantly, LA28 will make history as the first Olympics where female athletes will outnumber male athletes, with women’s events expanding in several sports including soccer and water polo.

Baseball/Softball: America’s Pastime Returns Home

Baseball and softball are making their welcome return to the Olympic program after last appearing at Tokyo 2020. This will mark the seventh Olympic appearance for men’s baseball and the sixth for women’s softball.

Baseball returns to the Olympics in the sport’s spiritual home of Los Angeles

History and Olympic Journey

Baseball debuted as a demonstration sport in Los Angeles before becoming an official medal event at the Barcelona 1992 Games. Softball joined the Olympic program at Atlanta 1996. Both sports were removed after Beijing 2008 before making a one-time return at Tokyo 2020, where Japan swept both gold medals.

Format and Rules

Olympic baseball follows international rules with nine-inning games, while softball features seven-inning contests. Any extra innings will see runners placed on first and second base to accelerate scoring opportunities. The tournament structure typically features a group stage followed by knockout rounds.

Teams to Watch

Japan enters as the defending champion in both baseball and softball. The United States, with home-field advantage, will be a formidable challenger, especially with potential MLB stars like Shohei Ohtani possibly representing their countries. Other baseball contenders include the Dominican Republic, Cuba, South Korea, and Mexico, while softball will see strong competition from Canada, Australia, and Italy.

Cricket: A Global Phenomenon Returns After 128 Years

Cricket is making its long-awaited Olympic comeback after a 128-year absence, having last appeared at the Paris 1900 Games where Great Britain defeated France in a single match. The LA28 version will feature both men’s and women’s tournaments in the fast-paced T20 format.

Cricket’s T20 format brings fast-paced action to the Olympic stage

Why T20 Format?

The T20 format was selected for its spectator-friendly nature, with matches typically lasting about three hours. Each team bats for one innings of 20 overs (120 balls), making for high-scoring, action-packed contests that are accessible to new fans while still showcasing the sport’s strategic depth.

Global Powerhouses

India enters as the reigning Men’s T20 World Cup champions, while England (competing as Great Britain in the Olympics) won the tournament in 2010 and 2022. In women’s cricket, Australia has dominated with six T20 World Cup titles, though New Zealand claimed their first championship in 2024 by defeating South Africa.

Olympic Impact

Cricket’s inclusion is expected to dramatically increase Olympic viewership in South Asia, particularly in India where the sport enjoys unparalleled popularity. The IOC hopes this will help grow the Olympic movement in regions where it has traditionally had less penetration.

Flag Football: American Football Goes Global

Flag football represents one of the most intriguing additions to the Olympic program, bringing a fast, non-contact version of American football to the global stage. The sport’s Olympic debut in the United States is particularly fitting, as it showcases an accessible version of America’s most popular sport.

Flag football brings the excitement of American football without the contact

How Flag Football Works

Unlike traditional American football, flag football eliminates tackling in favor of “tackles” made by pulling flags from an opponent’s belt. The Olympic version will feature five players per side on a 50-yard field that is 25 yards wide with two 10-yard end zones. Teams have four downs to advance the ball and score, creating a fast-paced, high-scoring game.

Leading Nations

The United States enters as the dominant force in both men’s and women’s flag football, having won the 2024 IFAF World Championships in both divisions. Mexico has emerged as their strongest challenger, particularly in women’s flag football where they defeated the U.S. to win gold at The World Games 2022. Other contenders include Austria, Japan, Germany, and Canada.

Stars to Watch

Mexico’s Diana Flores has become the face of women’s flag football globally, starring in an NFL Super Bowl commercial and serving as an ambassador for the sport. On the men’s side, American quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette has led Team USA to multiple world championships.

Lacrosse: North America’s Ancient Sport Modernized

Lacrosse returns to the Olympic program after more than a century, having last appeared as a medal event in 1908. With deep roots in Indigenous North American cultures, lacrosse’s return to the Olympics in Los Angeles carries special significance.

The fast-paced sixes format of lacrosse will make its Olympic debut in 2028

The Sixes Format

LA28 will feature lacrosse in the “sixes” format, a faster version of the game designed specifically for Olympic competition. Sixes features six players per side (including a goalkeeper) on a smaller field with 8-minute quarters. The format emphasizes speed, scoring, and continuous play, making it more accessible to viewers while preserving the sport’s essential skills.

Historical Dominance

Canada won gold in both previous Olympic lacrosse tournaments (1904 and 1908) and recently reasserted their dominance by sweeping the men’s and women’s gold medals at The World Games 2022, defeating the United States in both finals. The U.S. has historically dominated the traditional field version of lacrosse, with 11 men’s world titles and nine women’s world championships.

Indigenous Heritage

The Haudenosaunee Nationals, representing the sport’s Indigenous originators, have earned three consecutive bronze medals at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship. Their participation in the Olympics remains a topic of discussion, as they currently compete as a sovereign nation in international lacrosse but not at the Olympic Games.

Squash: Finally Achieving Olympic Recognition

After multiple unsuccessful bids for Olympic inclusion, squash will finally make its debut as a medal sport at LA28. The fast-paced racquet sport has featured at every edition of The World Games since 1997 and appeared as a demonstration event at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.

Squash’s Olympic debut will feature matches on spectacular glass courts

The Game Explained

Squash is played in an enclosed court where two players (or four in doubles) alternate hitting a small rubber ball against the front wall. The first player to reach 11 points, with a two-point advantage, wins a game. Olympic matches will likely follow the best-of-five games format used in major international competitions.

Egyptian Dominance

Egypt has emerged as the dominant force in squash, winning both the men’s and women’s team world championships in 2024. Egyptian players Nour El Sherbini and Mostafa Asal are current individual world champions, with El Sherbini having won an incredible eight world titles, equaling the all-time record.

Global Challengers

Peru’s Diego Elias, New Zealand’s Paul Coll, and England’s Mohamed ElShorbagy lead the challenge to Egypt’s dominance in men’s squash. In women’s competition, American Olivia Weaver and England’s Georgina Kennedy represent the growing global spread of elite squash talent.

How These New Sports Will Shape the Olympic Movement

The addition of these five sports to the LA28 program represents more than just new medals to be won—it signals the IOC’s evolving approach to the Olympic Games in the 21st century.

Los Angeles is preparing world-class venues for all five new Olympic sports

Gender Equality Milestone

LA28 will make history as the first Olympics where female athletes outnumber male athletes, with 5,655 quota spots for women compared to 5,543 for men. All team sports will feature full gender parity, with women’s soccer expanding to 16 teams—four more than the men’s tournament—and boxing achieving equal weight categories for men and women.

Global Audience Expansion

Cricket’s inclusion is expected to dramatically increase Olympic viewership in South Asia, particularly in India where the sport enjoys unparalleled popularity. Similarly, baseball and softball will strengthen Olympic engagement in the Americas and East Asia, while flag football offers a gateway to American football fans worldwide.

Youth Appeal

The IOC has explicitly stated that attracting younger audiences is a priority, and these additions reflect that goal. The fast-paced nature of T20 cricket, flag football, and lacrosse sixes aligns with younger viewers’ preferences for quick, action-packed sporting events.

The Future of Olympic Sport Takes Shape in Los Angeles

The addition of baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash to the LA28 Olympic program represents a significant evolution in the Olympic movement. These sports bring fresh energy, new audiences, and exciting athletic performances to the Games while honoring both ancient sporting traditions and modern innovations.

As Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world in 2028, these new sports will play a crucial role in shaping what promises to be a historic Olympic Games—one that celebrates athletic excellence, cultural diversity, and the continued evolution of international sport.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of these sports or just beginning to explore them, the next four years offer an exciting opportunity to learn about these disciplines and the athletes who will compete for Olympic glory in Los Angeles.