The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles are still two long years away — and the 2026 Winter Games in Italy haven’t even started yet.
But Summer Games fans need to start planning now. They will have their first chance to purchase tickets for the 2028 events this week.
Those interested in purchasing tickets can register online at la28.org starting this Wednesday (14). Registration will give buyers the chance to participate in a draw to gain access to the first batch of tickets, which will be sold this spring in the northern hemisphere.
Organizers say tickets for all sports will be available at a range of prices, starting at US$28.
The 2028 Olympics will be the third time Los Angeles has hosted the event, following the 1932 and 1984 Summer Games. These Summer Games will also be the first to be hosted in the United States since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Hundreds of events will take place in Southern California, and Oklahoma City will host some of them as well, creating plenty of opportunities for spectators. Los Angeles will also host the Paralympic Games, which will begin in August 2028.
Here’s what you need to know about watching the 2028 Olympics.
First, sign up for the draw and then wait for the opportunity to buy tickets
To access the first round of sales, those interested in purchasing tickets for Olympic events must register online and create a profile. Registration, which is free, begins this Wednesday.
Those who register will receive an email between March 31 and April 7 letting them know if they have been allocated a time slot during which they can purchase tickets. Sales will take place from April 9th to 19th.
There will be other registration and ticket distribution periods later this year. Tickets for the Paralympics will go on sale in 2027.
How much will tickets cost?
The Olympic and Paralympic Games will include more than 800 events in more than 40 locations, offering diverse options for fans. The Olympic Games will feature 36 sports and the Paralympic Games will feature 23.
Ticket prices for these events will vary depending on interest in the sport and location.
LA28, the organizing committee for the Los Angeles Games, expects to offer a total of 14 million tickets for the events. At least 1 million individual tickets will be sold for US$28, and a third of the total tickets sold will cost less than US$100 (R$537.58).
Fans will also have the option to purchase more expensive hospitality packages, with access to private boxes. These packages require deposits ranging from US$1,000 (R$5,375) to US$10,000 (R$53,758).
Events will take place throughout Southern California — and Oklahoma
Los Angeles will have its name on official posters and merchandise during the Olympic Games, but athletes will compete at venues throughout Southern California and Orange County.
Many events will take place within Los Angeles city limits, such as baseball at Dodger Stadium, track and field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and boxing at the Crypto.com Arena.
Other events will be held in other Southern California cities. For example, Carson will host tennis, archery, rugby and field hockey. Anaheim will host volleyball and basketball will be played in Inglewood. Surfing competitions will take place in the waters off Trestles State Beach in San Clemente.
Two competitions — softball and canoe slalom — will be held in Oklahoma City. The decision to hold these events outside of California was part of an effort to fulfill the promise to host the Games without building new stadiums or permanent infrastructure.
Special benefits for local residents
Those who live near Los Angeles or Oklahoma City will have access to a pre-sale of tickets from April 2nd to 6th. To participate in the pre-sale, fans will need to enter the ZIP code of a participating county. Pre-sale access is not guaranteed for all local residents.
In California, eligible counties are Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.
In Oklahoma, eligible counties are Oklahoma, Canadian and Cleveland.
Book these dates
The opening ceremony of the 2028 Olympic Games is scheduled for July 14, 2028. For the first time, the ceremony will be held in two locations: the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
The closing ceremony is scheduled for July 30th at the Coliseum.
The Paralympic Games will begin two weeks later, on August 15th, and end on August 27th.
Is Los Angeles ready to host the Olympic Games?
There is still a lot of work to be done before the Games begin. Some important infrastructure projects are behind schedule.
The People Mover at Los Angeles International Airport was initially expected to be completed in 2024. But now planners expect the train project, which will connect the airport terminals to the Los Angeles rail transit system, to be ready in the second half of 2026.
Other infrastructure plans will need to wait until closer to the Games. The Olympic Village, for example, will be installed mainly on the UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) campus. The university’s academic semester will need to end before the Olympians can settle in.
Olympic Games organizers said they were confident that everything needed to hold the Games would be ready in time.
