The question how many sports will be in the 2028 Olympics has a clear answer: 36 Olympic sports are currently scheduled for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, commonly called LA28. The official LA28 venue plan lists 36 Olympic sports and more than 800 competition events.
The 2028 Games will also be notable because several sports are returning to the Olympic program, while others will make their Olympic debut. Baseball and softball, cricket, lacrosse, squash, and flag football are among the additions that will help make LA28 different from the Paris 2024 Olympics.
How Many Sports Will Be in the 2028 Olympics?
There will be 36 Olympic sports at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
That number refers to sports rather than individual events or disciplines. Within those sports are numerous separate competitions. For example, cycling includes multiple disciplines, while gymnastics includes artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline events.
LA28’s official information describes the Games as featuring 36 Olympic sports, 23 Paralympic sports, more than 800 competition events, and more than 3,000 hours of live action.
The Olympic Games will take place in Los Angeles from July 14 through July 30, 2028.
Which Sports Will Be at the 2028 Olympics?
The 36-sport program combines traditional Olympic sports with several newer additions.
The confirmed Olympic sports include:
- Aquatics
- Archery
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Baseball and softball
- Boxing
- Canoe
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Equestrian
- Fencing
- Flag football
- Football (soccer)
- 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
Some of these are broad Olympic sports that contain several disciplines or event categories. LA28’s official competition schedule, for example, separately lists events such as 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball, BMX freestyle, BMX racing, diving, mountain biking, open-water swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, and rugby sevens.
This is why the number of individual competitions is much higher than the number of sports.
Why Are There More Sports in LA28 Than the Original Program?
The LA28 Olympic program has evolved since the initial sports lineup was approved.
In 2022, the initial LA28 program contained 28 sports. LA28 and the International Olympic Committee then considered additional sports that could be included specifically for the Los Angeles Games.
In October 2023, the IOC approved five additional sports proposed by the Los Angeles organizers:
- Baseball and softball
- Cricket
- Flag football
- Lacrosse
- Squash
The IOC described these as additional sports for the Los Angeles Olympic program. Baseball and softball, cricket, and lacrosse are returning to the Olympic Games, while flag football and squash are making their Olympic debuts.
Modern pentathlon and weightlifting were also confirmed for the LA28 program during the same process. Boxing was initially placed under separate consideration while the IOC addressed issues concerning its international governing body, but boxing is included in the current LA28 competition schedule.
What New Sports Will Debut at the 2028 Olympics?
One of the biggest attractions of LA28 will be the introduction of sports that have never previously appeared as Olympic medal sports.
Flag Football
Flag football will make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
Unlike traditional tackle football, flag football removes tackling as a central part of the game. Players stop opponents by removing a flag or flag belt rather than bringing them to the ground.
Its inclusion is particularly significant for a U.S.-hosted Olympics because American football has enormous popularity in the United States.
Squash
Squash will also make its Olympic debut at LA28.
The fast-paced racket sport is played in an enclosed court, with players striking a ball against the front wall while attempting to make it difficult for their opponent to return.
Cricket
Cricket is returning to the Olympics in the T20 format. The sport has a long international history but has not been part of the modern Olympic program for more than a century.
LA28’s schedule includes both women’s and men’s cricket competitions.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse will return as an Olympic medal sport at LA28. The sport has a long history in North America and previously appeared in the Olympic program in the early 20th century.
LA28 is using the Sixes format for Olympic lacrosse, giving the competition a faster and more compact structure than traditional versions of the sport.
Which Sports Are Returning to the Olympics?
LA28 will bring back several sports that have not been part of the most recent Olympic Games.
Baseball and softball are returning after their most recent Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020. Cricket is returning to the Olympic program after a much longer absence. Lacrosse is also returning as a medal sport.
The return of baseball and softball should be especially noticeable to American fans because Los Angeles has a strong baseball culture and the baseball tournament will be held at Dodger Stadium.
The inclusion of these sports reflects one of the ways host cities can influence the Olympic program. Organizers can propose additional sports that have strong connections to their audience and host country, subject to IOC approval.
How Many Events Will There Be?
The number of sports does not tell the whole story.
LA28 will feature more than 800 competition events across its Olympic and Paralympic programs, while the Olympic program itself includes hundreds of medal events across the 36 sports.
For example, athletics alone contains numerous track and field competitions, while swimming includes many individual and relay events. Cycling is divided into multiple disciplines, including road, track, BMX, and mountain biking.
This distinction is important when comparing Olympic Games.
A person might see a list containing dozens of individual disciplines and assume each one is a separate sport. Olympic organizations sometimes group related disciplines under a larger sport category.
Why Does the Number of Olympic Sports Change?
The Olympic sports program is not permanently fixed.
The IOC and organizing committees consider factors such as global popularity, athlete participation, gender equality, youth appeal, costs, venue requirements, sustainability, and the overall complexity of staging the Games.
LA28’s sport-program criteria specifically emphasize factors including athlete health and safety, global appeal, host-country interest, gender equality, youth relevance, integrity, and environmental sustainability.
This allows the Olympic program to evolve over time.
Some sports may return after an absence, while other sports can be added for a particular edition of the Games. The goal is to maintain the Olympic tradition while also making the Games relevant to modern audiences.
How Does LA28 Compare With Paris 2024?
The 2028 Olympics will have a noticeably different sports lineup from Paris 2024.
Paris featured 32 sports. Los Angeles will have 36 sports under the current LA28 program.
The increase is largely connected to the additional sports selected for the Los Angeles Games, including baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash.
At the same time, some sports that appeared at previous Olympics can have their disciplines or event formats adjusted. The Olympic program is therefore better understood as a changing collection of sports and events rather than a permanent list.
Why Is Flag Football Important for LA28?
Flag football is arguably one of the most interesting additions for American sports fans.
The sport has grown internationally and will receive an enormous global platform through its Olympic debut in Los Angeles.
Its Olympic inclusion also demonstrates how the Games can incorporate sports that are particularly relevant to a host country’s sporting culture.
For the United States, American football is one of the country’s most commercially prominent sports. Bringing a non-contact version of the sport to the Olympics gives international athletes and fans an opportunity to experience a variation of the game.
The first Olympic flag football competition will therefore be one of the events to watch when LA28 begins.
Will the 2028 Olympic Sports Program Change Again?
The current answer is that the 36-sport program is the official LA28 lineup, but Olympic programs can involve detailed adjustments to disciplines, events, schedules, and competition formats.
LA28 has already published a comprehensive competition schedule covering the confirmed sports and venues. The official schedule shows events across the Olympic program, including baseball, cricket, lacrosse, softball, flag football, squash, surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing, and the traditional Olympic sports.
That means fans can already get a strong picture of what the 2028 Olympics will look like.
However, individual event details can still be updated as the Games approach. Qualification systems, athlete quotas, competition schedules, and other operational details are finalized closer to the Games.
FAQ
How many sports will be in the 2028 Olympics?
There will be 36 Olympic sports at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics under the current official program.
Where will the 2028 Olympics be held?
The 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles and across other locations in Southern California and the United States. Some competitions, including baseball, will take place outside the immediate Los Angeles area.
When are the 2028 Olympics?
The LA28 Olympic Games are scheduled for July 14 through July 30, 2028.
Will flag football be in the 2028 Olympics?
Yes. Flag football will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Is cricket in the 2028 Olympics?
Yes. Cricket will return to the Olympic program at LA28, with T20 competitions for women and men.
Is baseball returning to the Olympics?
Yes. Baseball and softball are returning to the Olympic program in 2028 after appearing at Tokyo 2020.
How many events will be held at LA28?
LA28 is planned to feature more than 800 competition events across the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The official LA28 plan lists 36 Olympic sports and 23 Paralympic sports.
Conclusion
So, how many sports will be in the 2028 Olympics? The Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics are scheduled to feature 36 Olympic sports.
The program will combine Olympic staples such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics, basketball, soccer, tennis, wrestling, and boxing with returning sports such as baseball, softball, cricket, and lacrosse. It will also introduce flag football and squash to the Olympic stage.
That combination makes LA28 one of the more distinctive Olympic programs in recent years. With more than 800 competition events planned across the Olympic and Paralympic Games, fans will have a huge variety of competitions to follow when the Games arrive in Los Angeles in 2028.
Category: Olympic Sports, 2028 Olympics, Sports Events