6 Sports Are Joining The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Including 2 That Are Back For The First Time In Over 100 Years

The Olympics are constantly evolving, with sports continuously added or removed. This year, breaking is making its debut , while baseball, softball, and karate aren't returning after appearing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Following Paris, the next Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles in 2028, and you might be wondering which sports will join the festivities or make a comeback in four years.

Fortunately, we already know. Here are the six sports announced for the 2028 competition, including several returnees:

1. Returning: Cricket

Cricket's first and only appearance at the Olympics was at the 1900 Paris Games. However, according to the New York Times , only two of the four teams set to compete showed up: Britain and France. The publication also noted that the length of cricket matches, which can take up to five days to complete, poses an issue for a scheduled-packed event like the Olympics. For the 2028 Olympics, teams will play the growingly popular Twenty20 format comprising just 20 overs, the term for each team's six deliveries in an inning.

2. Returning: Lacrosse

Like cricket, lacrosse made its Olympic debut over 100 years ago. The sport appeared at the St. Louis 1904 and London 1908 Olympics but hasn't made an official comeback since. However, three demonstration games took place in the '20s through the '40s: Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932, and London in 1948.

3. Returning: Baseball

Baseball's history with the Olympics is long. It first debuted in 1992 and left after 2008. It came back briefly four years ago but was not included in Paris this year.

4. Returning: Softball

Softball has followed a similar trajectory as baseball, though it debuted in the Olympics four years later in 1996. As for why both sports are returning for the 2028 games, Los Angeles hosting the games may have played a part. "Given our sports’ rich tradition, universality, global appeal and huge popularity also in the US, I know that they will be a massive hit in LA, across the country and with the millions of Olympic fans worldwide," World Baseball Softball Confederation President Riccardo Fraccari said, in part, in a statement last year.

5. Debuting: Squash

According to USA Today , squash will make its Olympic debut following previous failed attempts.

6. Finally, debuting: Flag football

According to a report from the Athletic last year, the NFL supports flag football's foray into the Olympics. USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck told the publication that the NFL "surely rallied around the concept of flag football in the Olympics and as an opportunity to grow the sport around the world." Team size is part of the appeal of flag football compared to American football. The 2028 will see five-on-five flag football teams compete, not 11-on-11, and there will be both men's and women's flag football games.

Which sport are you most excited to see added to the Olympics, and which ones do you think should also be added? Tell us the comments below!