The organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics have released the first look at the competition schedule, highlighting a historic reshuffling of key events and the most ambitious sports lineup in Games history.
The announcement comes as the city marks three years to go until the Opening Ceremony and celebrates a major legacy milestone: more than one million enrolments in the PlayLA youth sports programme.
For the first time in nearly three decades, the Summer Olympics will return to the United States, with Los Angeles hosting for the third time after 1932 and 1984.
The 2028 Games are set to feature 844 ticketed events designed to maximize both domestic and international viewership.
Action starts on Wednesday, July 12, 2028 — two days before the Opening Ceremony, as usual — with preliminary competition in basketball, cricket, field hockey, handball, rugby sevens, soccer and water polo.
Organizers revealed that the Opening Ceremony will take place on July 14, 2028, at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT), split between the LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The Closing Ceremony is scheduled for July 30 at the Coliseum.
It marks the most sports to have competition before the day of the Opening Ceremony since the 1920 Antwerp Games, according to the OlyMADMen.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, preliminary competition in archery, handball, rugby sevens and soccer was held before the Opening Ceremony.
Track and field events will open the Games in the first week, with swimming moving to the second week, culminating in its finale on the penultimate day at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
The first Olympic champion of LA28 will be crowned at Venice Beach in the triathlon event, while the marathon will close out athletics on the final weekend.
Day 15 is expected to be the busiest for medal events, with 16 team sport finals and 19 individual sport finals taking place.
LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said that the schedule has been scheduled to suit athletes.
He said: “The Olympic competition schedule has been meticulously developed to ensure the world’s best athletes can compete in LA.
“We are energized by today’s milestones and remain focused on the work ahead as the Road to 2028 continues.”
Organizers said the schedule will continue to be refined, with a more detailed breakdown to be released later this year.
“When the world comes here for these Games, we will highlight every neighbourhood as we host a Games for all and work to ensure it leaves a monumental legacy.”
The 2028 Olympics will feature the debut of flag football, and squash as optional sports, joined by the return of baseball/softball, cricket (for the first time since 1900) and lacrosse (for the first time as a medal event since 1908).
The modern pentathlon is expected to feature an updated format replacing show jumping with obstacle course racing.
