2028 Olympics to feature baseball, cricket, debut of flag football

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will feature a mix of old and new sports.

Baseball/softball, cricket (T20), and lacrosse (sixes) return to the program, while flag football and squash will make their debut in Los Angeles following a ratified vote of the proposed sports by the International Olympic Committee.

A decision on boxing's inclusion at the 2028 Games has been put on hold as the sport is currently without a governing body recognized by the IOC.

"The hope of an Olympic dream just became an active pursuit for countless athletes around the world," said LA28 chief athlete officer Janet Evans in a statement. "This remarkable journey over the next five years will undoubtedly change lives, inspiring athletes with the opportunity to represent their sport and country on the world's biggest stage.

"Participating in the Games is an experience unlike any other, and any athlete who pursues it will become an invaluable thread within the shared story of the LA28 Games."

Baseball was dropped from the Olympic program following the 2008 Games before returning for Tokyo 2020. However, the sport won't be part of next year's Olympics in Paris.

Meanwhile, football was a demonstration sport when Los Angeles first hosted the Olympics in 1932.