The venues for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles have been confirmed

There are more than 1000 days left until the opening of the Olympics scheduled in Los Angeles from July 14 to 30, 2028. However, organizational work is non-stop, as according to estimates from LA28, the non-profit organization managing the event, the total revenue from the upcoming Summer Olympics is estimated at 7 billion dollars from ticket sales, sponsorships, merchandise, and contributions from the International Olympic Committee. Therefore, it is essential to minimize extra expenses, such as the construction of new arenas, since the city of Los Angeles has committed to covering any potential debts up to 270 million dollars, while the remaining losses would initially be covered by the state and secondarily by the citizens of Los Angeles.

“We must ensure that everything is done properly, as it was in 1984, when the city of Los Angeles benefited from the Olympics, not debt,” said Marqueece Harris-Dawson, President of the Los Angeles City Council, during a meeting with the press in which a plan for the relocation of certain venues was voted on, presented in June 2024 and officially confirmed by the IOC on April 9. This change is expected to generate 162 million dollars in additional revenue and savings.

So, what are all the locations where the events of each Olympic discipline will take place in the American Olympics? Let’s explore them together.

Intuit Dome

The new home of the Los Angeles Clippers has been chosen as the venue for the basketball tournaments. It was not included in the original plan because in 2017, when the official bid to host the games was presented, the Intuit Dome did not yet exist. Today, Los Angeles can proudly host what has become the benchmark for NBA arenas, designed more like European football stadiums than traditional U.S. basketball arenas.

Crypto.com Arena

The confirmation of the basketball relocation also officially moved artistic gymnastics to the Crypto.com Arena, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers. Initially, the Los Angeles Forum had been chosen, but this venue change will allow for the sale of more tickets. For commercial reasons, neither the Crypto.com Arena nor the Intuit Dome officially appear on the LA28 website under those names. They have been registered as Arena Downtown Los Angeles and Arena Inglewood, respectively.

Rose Bowl

For a generation of Italian fans, the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena is the place where Roberto Baggio missed the decisive penalty kick against Brazil. For a generation of American fans, it is the place of Brandi Chastain’s iconic celebration, the U.S. soccer player who removed her shirt after scoring the decisive penalty to win the World Cup final against China. In 2028, this stadium could again become the site of a generational moment. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena has been chosen as the venue for the semifinals and finals of both the men’s and women’s football tournaments. The U.S. women’s national team, who won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, will be in the spotlight.

Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area and Dignity Health Sports Park

The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area was included from the start in the Olympic plan, a logical choice since, according to the official description, it is the second-largest urban park in the city of Los Angeles. Its inclusion also ensures that for the first time, the Olympics will reach the San Fernando Valley, unlike in 1932 and 1984. However, its use has been modified. The Olympic BMX and skateboarding tournaments will take place here, while the archery competition, originally scheduled at this location, has been moved to Carson, at the Dignity Health Sports Park. In exchange, 3x3 basketball and modern pentathlon will take place here.

BMO Stadium

The 2028 Olympic Games will see the debut of flag football, a less physical version of American football, and the return of lacrosse for the first time since 1908. This decision is mainly due to the growing popularity of these two sports in the U.S., particularly at the collegiate level. Both tournaments will be held at Banc of California Stadium, a 22,000-seat football stadium used by the Los Angeles FC for home games. For sponsorship reasons, the official name of the stadium has been changed to BMO Stadium.

Oklahoma City’s Riversport Rapids and Oklahoma City’s Devon Park

No, you are not mistaken. There is no Oklahoma City in California in the Los Angeles district. The city in question is the capital of Oklahoma, over 2,000 kilometers from Los Angeles. However, due to the initial cost-reduction strategy, it was decided to use existing facilities to host slalom canoe events at Oklahoma City’s Riversport Rapids, and softball at Oklahoma City’s Devon Park, the world’s largest softball stadium.

SoFI Stadium

Finally, we come to what will be the jewel of the 2028 Olympics, an Olympic swimming pool positioned in the center of a football stadium. Swimming events will take place at the SoFI Stadium, the home of two NFL teams, the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers, which for the occasion has been renamed Stadium Inglewood. It will be the largest swimming venue in Olympic history, with 38,000 seats. Initially, the swimming events were scheduled at Dedeaux Field at the University of Southern California, but due to the university’s decision to build football facilities, organizers had to find an alternative. Since the stadium will be used for the opening ceremony, the swimming events have been moved to the second week, with track and field events now scheduled for the first week to facilitate construction.