Which Is the Host Country for the Next Summer Olympics? LA28 Explained

Which Is the Host Country for the Next Summer Olympics?

The next Summer Olympics will be held in the United States, in Los Angeles, California. The event is officially the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad, better known as LA28, and it runs from 14 to 30 July 2028, four years after Paris 2024. Cricket returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1900, and Brisbane, Australia takes over as host in 2032.

LA28 at a Glance

LA28 will be the biggest Games so far: 36 sports and 353 medal events, spread over 49 venues in the Los Angeles region and Oklahoma City. Around 11,000 athletes are expected, and organisers are planning the most women’s finals ever held on a single day.

Demand is already record-breaking. On 29 July 2026, LA28 announced that more than 12 million people had registered for a chance to buy tickets, up from 5 million in February.

Why Is Los Angeles Hosting the 2028 Olympics?

Los Angeles never won 2028 in a normal vote. It first bid for the 2024 Games, after Boston, the original American candidate, pulled out in 2015 because it lacked public and political backing. In 2017, the IOC did something it had never done before and handed out two Games at once: 2024 to Paris and 2028 to Los Angeles. IOC members approved the deal in Lima on 13 September 2017.

The IOC was in that position because the 2024 race kept losing cities. Hamburg’s voters rejected a bid in a November 2015 referendum, Rome’s new mayor withdrew in 2016 over the city’s debt, and Budapest dropped out in 2017 after a petition and a political fight. Only Paris and Los Angeles were left, and the IOC did not want to lose either.

Each city got something out of it. Paris said the land for its Olympic Village would only be free in 2024. Los Angeles, with a low-cost plan built on existing venues like the Coliseum and private money, was willing to wait. To make that wait worthwhile, the IOC offered a contribution of about $1.8 billion, 80 percent of any surplus and the right to sell stadium naming rights. In return, LA28 committed up to $160 million to youth sport in the city.

The result is the first Summer Games on US soil since Atlanta 1996. Los Angeles becomes a three-time host, like London and Paris, after 1932 and 1984, and the LA Memorial Coliseum becomes the first venue to stage events at three different Olympics.

How the Host Country Is Chosen

Cities put forward their plans, and the IOC looks at cost, venues, safety and local support. Today the Future Host Commission proposes a preferred candidate first, and IOC members then vote to confirm it. Brisbane’s 2032 win followed exactly that path: it was named preferred candidate in February 2021 and approved by IOC members in July 2021, more than a decade before the Games.

Opening Ceremony: What to Expect on 14 July

The opening ceremony is on 14 July 2028 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time (8 p.m. Eastern). In India, that is about 5:30 a.m. on 15 July. It will be shared between the LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (called “2028 Stadium” during the Games), the first time an Olympic opening has been split across two stadiums. The closing ceremony on 30 July takes place at the Coliseum at 6 p.m. PT.

Competition starts before the ceremony, though. On 12 July, cricket, basketball, field hockey, handball, rugby sevens and water polo all begin, and baseball follows on 13 July. Football also has matches before the opening night, so check the official schedule for exact dates.

What Makes the 2028 Olympics Special?

Cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash are new to the Games, and baseball and softball return. The other big change is the running order: athletics now takes place in week one and swimming in week two. The reason is practical. SoFi Stadium hosts the opening ceremony and then has to be turned into a swimming venue, and the change also lets swimmers attend the opening night without racing the next morning.

• New and returning sports: Cricket (T20), flag football, lacrosse (sixes), squash, baseball/softball
• Programme size: 36 sports, 51 disciplines, 353 medal events
• Venues: 49 venues in 18 zones across the Los Angeles region and Oklahoma City
• First medal event: Women’s triathlon at Venice Beach, 15 July
• Last champions: Crowned in swimming, just before the closing ceremony

Summer Olympics 2028 Schedule: Key Dates

LA28 has published the schedule by day, session and event, and says it can still change. These are the dates worth noting first.

• 12 July: Cricket (women), basketball, field hockey, handball, rugby sevens and water polo begin
• 13 July: Baseball begins
• 14 July: Opening ceremony at the Coliseum and SoFi Stadium
• 15 July: Day 1: first medals, starting with women’s triathlon, and a women’s 100m showcase on the track; flag football and squash debut
• 20 July: Women’s cricket gold medal match
• 29 July: “Super Saturday”, the busiest finals day, plus the men’s cricket gold medal match
• 30 July: Final medals in swimming and the closing ceremony at the Coliseum

Once the Games start, use the official LA28 site and Olympics.com for schedules and results. Session times can move, so check the day before if you are planning around a late night or an early alarm.

A Quick Look Back at Paris 2024

Paris 2024 ran from 26 July to 11 August with 206 National Olympic Committees, 32 sports and 329 medal events. The United States and China tied on 40 golds, and the US finished first on 126 total medals to China’s 91. Japan was third.

Tennis was played at Roland Garros, on the same clay as the French Open. Novak Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6, 7-6 for the Olympic gold he had chased for years, and Zheng Qinwen became the first Chinese player to win Olympic singles gold.

• Men’s Singles: Gold – Novak Djokovic (SRB); Silver – Carlos Alcaraz (ESP); Bronze – Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)
• Women’s Singles: Gold – Zheng Qinwen (CHN); Silver – Donna Vekic (CRO); Bronze – Iga Swiatek (POL)
• Men’s Doubles: Gold – Matthew Ebden / John Peers (AUS); Silver – Austin Krajicek / Rajeev Ram (USA); Bronze – Taylor Fritz / Tommy Paul (USA)
• Women’s Doubles: Gold – Sara Errani / Jasmine Paolini (ITA); Silver – Mirra Andreeva / Diana Shnaider (AIN); Bronze – Cristina Bucsa / Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP)
• Mixed Doubles: Gold – Katerina Siniakova / Tomas Machac (CZE); Silver – Wang Xinyu / Zhang Zhizhen (CHN); Bronze – Gabriela Dabrowski / Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)

Where to Watch the 2028 Olympics

Broadcast rights are sold country by country. In the US, NBC and Peacock will carry the Games, since NBCUniversal holds the American rights through 2036. Olympics.com adds highlights, replays and results for everyone.

India’s broadcaster has not been announced. JioStar showed Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026, and the IOC told Reuters in July 2026 that it was in talks with several parties, with strong interest because of cricket.

India at the Olympics: From Paris 2024 to Cricket at LA28

India ended Paris 2024 with six medals, one silver and five bronze, and finished 71st with 117 athletes. Neeraj Chopra won javelin silver, Manu Bhaker took two shooting bronzes, and the men’s hockey team won bronze again. For Indian fans, though, cricket is the main reason to watch LA28.

For a full breakdown, see how many medals India won in Olympics 2024, and for the bigger picture, read how many medals India has won in Olympics history.

Both the men’s and women’s tournaments are T20 with six teams each, played at a temporary stadium at the Fairgrounds in Pomona, about 50 km from Los Angeles. The women play first, from 12 July, with the gold medal match on 20 July. The men’s tournament comes in the last week, and its final is on 29 July. Qualification is still being settled, so check the ICC for the latest on which teams have made it.

Closing Ceremony and the Next Olympics After LA28

The closing ceremony is on 30 July 2028 at the LA Memorial Coliseum, and the Paralympics follow from 15 to 27 August 2028. After LA28 comes Brisbane 2032, from 23 July to 8 August 2032, Australia’s third Summer Olympics after Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2000. The Winter Games go to the French Alps in 2030.

Why the 2028 Olympics Matter

Los Angeles joins London and Paris as a three-time host. Cricket comes back after 128 years, in a T20 format built for a global audience. The programme is the largest yet, with 353 medal events, athletics up front, swimming at the end and a two-stadium opening night.