The Beginners Guide to the Summer Games 2028 Edition

The next edition is the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, which will officially begin with the opening ceremony on July 14, 2028 and end with the closing ceremony on August 30, 2028.

July 23 – August 8, 2032 in Brisbane, Australia

The Summer Games take place quadrennially. The next Summer Games will occur in 2028, then 2032, and every four years following.

The Summer Games are typically 17 days long, beginning on a Friday and ending on a Sunday.

That title goes to the USA, which has hosted the Summer Games four times:
1904 in St. Louis
1932 in Los Angeles
1984 in Los Angeles
1996 in Atlanta

In 2028, the USA will host the Summer Games for a fifth time in Los Angeles.

The first modern Games took place in Athens, Greece in 1896 and were established to promote international relations through sport. While it’s true that the Games have been around over a century, the Games back then were a lot different than they are now. The first Games saw just 245 competitors (all men, as women were not permitted to compete) from 14 countries competing in 9 different sports.

To date, there have been 30 editions of the Summer Games. The host cities include:
1896 – Athens, Greece
1900 – Paris, France
1904 – St. Louis, USA
1908 – London, England
1912 – Stockholm, Sweden
1916 – Not held due to WWI
1920 – Antwerp, Belgium
1924 – Paris, France
1928 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
1932 – Los Angeles, USA
1936 – Berlin, Germany
1940 – Not held due to WWII
1944 – Not held due to WWII
1948 – London, England
1952 – Helsinki, Finland
1956 – Melbourne, Australia
1960 – Rome, Italy
1964 – Tokyo, Japan
1968 – Mexico City, Mexico
1972 – Munich, Germany
1976 – Montreal, Canada
1980 – Moscow, Russia
1984 – Los Angeles, USA
1988 – Seoul, South Korea
1992 – Barcelona, Spain
1996 – Atlanta, USA
2000 – Sydney, Australia
2004 – Athens, Greece
2008 – Beijing, China
2012 – London, England
2016 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2020 – Tokyo, Japan (postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic)
2024 – Paris, France

The last Summer Games were held in Paris, France from July 26 to August 11, 2024. While most of the events were concentrated in the Paris area, there were a few venues scattered throughout France. In addition, the surfing competitions were held in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, a French territory.

It is expected that there will be 35 different sports at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Some of the most popular include gymnastics, track and field, basketball, swimming, and beach volleyball.

Most people are familiar with the gold, silver and bronze medals athletes receive for finishing first, second, and third respectively. In many cases, that’s not all they’ll receive. Many countries’ Olympic committees also offer a cash prize to go along with the hardware.

Of course, there’s more to winning than the medal and possible prize money. Winners gain notoriety — especially within their home country — and in some cases, endorsements and sponsorship deals. Some athletes also receive gifts from local or national businesses.

The qualification process differs, depending on the event. Each sport is governed by an international sports federation that works with the International Olympic Committee. There are different methods determining who qualifies for the Summer Games. Some sports hold Olympic Trials. Some are based on performance over the period leading up to the Games. For team sports, the team is selected based on athletes’ performance.

To encourage global participation, there are limits on the number of athletes that can participate for a country in each event, as well as quotas for certain regions. The hosting country also receives automatic qualification in many events.

Los Angeles is certainly no stranger to the Summer Games. The 2024 Games will mark the third time the city has hosted the Summer Games (the first two were in 1932 and 1984).

The city of Los Angeles home to 3.9 million people. Add in the surrounding metropolitan area and the number jumps to 13.2 million.

There will be a total of 35 sports at the 2028 Summer Games:
Aquatics
Archery
Athletics
Badminton
Baseball/Softball*
Basketball
Boxing
Breaking
Canoe
Cricket*
Cycling
Equestrian
Fencing
Flag Football*
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
Handball
Hockey
Judo
Lacrosse*
Modern Pentathlon
Rowing
Rugby
Sailing
Shooting
Skateboarding
Sport Climbing
Squash*
Surfing
Table Tennis
Taekwondo
Tennis
Triathlon
Volleyball
Weightlifting
Wrestling

* New/returning sports for 2028

There is plenty to see in and around Los Angeles other than the Summer Games. Visitors may want to explore quintessential LA attractions like Venice Beach and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, check out the iconic theme parks, do some memorable shopping at The Grove or along Rodeo Drive, or discover the multitude of museums and galleries. Los Angeles is also a playground for foodies, with plenty of well-known eateries. Our pre-travel team can provide suggestions specific to your interests.

Los Angeles’s summer weather is generally pleasantly warm, with average daytime highs in the low 80s Fahrenheit and very low possibility of rain. We recommend packing layers so that you can be prepared, regardless of the temperature.

The merchandise at the Summer Games is always a big part of the event. Many want a souvenir of their once-in-a-lifetime experience or gifts for loved ones back at home. You’ll find almost every kind of souvenir and collectable possible, from pins to plush characters to clothing.

Some interesting facts about the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles:

• This will be the third time Los Angeles has hosted the Summer Games (it also hosted in 1932 and 1984).
• L.A. plans to use only existing and temporary structures to host Summer Games events to deliver an “Energy Positive Games” in the interest of sustainability.
• The 2028 Summer Games will include five new or returning sports: baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse, flag football, and squash.
• Two of the venues, the Rose Bowl and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, will make history as the only stadiums to have hosted in three different Summer Games.
• In addition to the Summer Games venues scattered around southern California, Oklahoma City will host the softball and canoe events in 2028.
• The traditional schedule of two of the most popular Summer Games sports—swimming and athletics—will be reversed in 2028. For the Los Angeles Games, athletics will be contested in the first half of the Games, followed by swimming in the second half. This adjustment was made so that SoFi Stadium could be used to host both events in addition to the opening ceremonies. Following the athletics events, the venue will be reconfigured for swimming, and the pool will be uncovered.
• The opening and closing ceremonies will take place in two locations: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium, with each venue hosting portions of both ceremonies.