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US Envoy, FIFA Chief Meet ICC's Jay Shah to Boost Cricket's Global Growth

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor met ICC Chairman Jay Shah in Mumbai to discuss the sport's exponential growth in the United States, driven by infrastructure, talent, and fan engagement. This follows a separate meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Shah in Milan, where they discussed collaboration and celebrated cricket's return to the Olympics. Cricket will feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, marking its first Olympic appearance in 128 years since the 1900 Paris event. Both meetings underscore strategic efforts to elevate cricket's global profile through major events and cross-sport partnerships.

Key Points: US Ambassador, FIFA President Meet ICC's Jay Shah on Cricket Growth

  • US Ambassador meets ICC Chairman
  • Cricket's rapid growth in USA highlighted
  • FIFA President also met Jay Shah in Milan
  • Collaboration for uniting world through sports
  • Cricket returns to Olympics in 2028
2 min read

US Ambassador Sergio Gor meets ICC Chairman Jay Shah, discusses cricket growth in USA

US Ambassador Sergio Gor and FIFA President Gianni Infantino held separate meetings with ICC Chairman Jay Shah to discuss cricket's expansion in the USA and Olympic return.

"We discussed the exponential growth of cricket in the United States with our world-class infrastructure, star talent, and incredible fans. - Sergio Gor"

Mumbai, February 7

United States Ambassador Sergio Gor met with International Cricket Council Chairman Jay Shah during the T20 World Cup match between India and the USA at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

Sergio Gor discussed the rapid growth of cricket in the United States with the ICC Chairman.

On X, US Ambassador Gor described the meeting as a pleasure and highlighted the key factors driving cricket's expansion in the country. "We discussed the exponential growth of cricket in the United States with our world-class infrastructure, star talent, and incredible fans," he said.

The discussion comes as cricket continues to gain popularity in the USA, with investments in stadiums, domestic leagues, and youth development programs helping to boost the sport's profile ahead of future international tournaments.

On February 5, FIFA president Gianni Infantino met International Cricket Council (ICC) Jay Shah in Milan, marking a massive crossover moment between two of the most popular sports in the world.

Infantino took to Instagram, sharing a picture of himself with Shah, hailing his work in cricket's growth and wishing him luck as the sport makes a grand return to the Olympic programme at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

He also expressed interest in collaborating with Shah on their bid to "unite the world through sports".

"It was my pleasure to meet @icc Chairman Jay Shah today in Milan. The outstanding work he has done to grow the beautiful game of cricket is exemplary. I wish him and everyone the very best as cricket gets re-introduced to the Summer Olympic Games in two years time. I also look forward to working together and collaborating as we unite the world through sports," Gianni said.

The return of cricket to the Olympics signals another major step forward in the sport's global expansion, and to celebrate the game on one of the world's biggest sporting stages. The announcement marks another landmark moment for the sport, which will be making its second-ever Olympic appearance - 128 years after its debut in Paris 1900, when Great Britain claimed gold in a one-off match against France.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As an American living in India, I'm thrilled! Cricket is such a beautiful sport. There's a growing South Asian diaspora in the US who are passionate fans. With proper infrastructure, it can definitely become a major sport there.
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Rohit P
Good to see these high-level meetings. But I hope the focus remains on developing the game at the grassroots level in traditional cricketing nations too. Sometimes the ICC gets too focused on expansion and forgets the core fans.
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Priya S
Cricket in the Olympics! After 128 years! This is historic. Indian athletes might finally get a chance to win an Olympic gold in cricket. Imagine the celebration! 🥇 Jai Hind!
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Michael C
The meeting with the FIFA president is interesting. "Unite the world through sports" – a powerful vision. If cricket and football's governing bodies can share best practices on governance and fan engagement, it could benefit both sports globally.
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Kavya N
"World-class infrastructure" in the US? They have a long way to go. We have historic grounds like Eden Gardens and Wankhede. I hope the soul of cricket isn't lost in trying to make it a commercial product for the American market.

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