Five combat sports are scheduled for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles: boxing, fencing, judo, taekwondo, and wrestling. They are distinct Olympic sports, each with its own rules, competition formats, and weight or equipment requirements.
This guide explains what athletes do in each sport, what events and formats to expect, and how the LA28 lineup compares with recent Games. It also clears up a common source of confusion: karate, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts are not on the current Olympic program. Specific event details can change as organizers finalize the schedule, so the distinction between confirmed sports and finalized events matters.
what combat sports will be in the 2028 olympics?
The five combat sports on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic program are boxing, fencing, judo, taekwondo, and wrestling. The list covers striking, grappling, and weapon-based competition. Fencing is sometimes left off casual lists because it uses a weapon, but it is an Olympic combat sport.
These are the sports, not a complete list of every medal event or match. Each sport may contain several events, such as different weight divisions or weapon disciplines. The International Olympic Committee and sport organizers determine the event program, qualification process, and competition schedule. Some details can be adjusted after a sport is confirmed.
| Sport | How athletes compete | Typical Olympic format | Best way to tell it apart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boxing | Punches scored against an opponent | Weight divisions and elimination bouts | Fighters use gloved punches; kicks and grappling are not allowed |
| Fencing | Touches scored with a sword | Foil, epee, and sabre; individual and team events | Each weapon has different target and right-of-way rules |
| Judo | Throws, holds, and submissions | Weight divisions and mixed-team competition | Throws and control on the mat are central |
| Taekwondo | Scoring kicks and punches | Weight divisions and elimination matches | Fast, high-scoring kicks are a signature feature |
| Wrestling | Takedowns, control, and exposure | Freestyle and Greco-Roman for men; freestyle for women | No striking; athletes score through grappling and position |
The table describes the familiar Olympic formats. It does not guarantee that every event or division will have exactly the same setup as at Paris 2024. For LA28, check the published event schedule when you need a specific category, match date, or qualification detail.
What to expect in each Olympic combat sport
Boxing
Olympic boxing is a contest between two athletes who score with legal punches to permitted target areas. Competitors wear gloves and protective equipment as required by the rules. Punches to the head and torso can score, while kicks, trips, and prolonged grappling are outside the sport’s rules.
Boxers are separated into weight divisions so athletes compete against opponents within a defined range. Matches are judged using the applicable scoring rules, and a tournament bracket determines who advances. The specific LA28 weight divisions and event details should be checked against the final published program rather than assumed from a past Olympics.
Boxing’s inclusion in Los Angeles followed uncertainty about its Olympic status. The IOC approved boxing for the LA28 program after the sport’s international governance arrangements changed. That decision means boxing is part of the planned 2028 Games; it does not mean every professional boxing organization or rule set applies to Olympic competition.
Fencing
Fencing is a fast contest in which athletes try to touch their opponent with a sword while avoiding being touched. Olympic fencing uses three weapons: foil, epee, and sabre. The weapons differ in their valid target areas and in how a referee resolves simultaneous or closely timed attacks.
Foil targets the torso, and its rules use right of way to decide which fencer receives a point when both appear to hit. Epee allows a touch anywhere on the body, and both fencers can score at the same time. Sabre permits touches to the upper body and uses right-of-way rules; its attacks can include cuts as well as thrusts.
Each weapon has individual and team competition formats in the Olympic sport. A team match is made up of bouts between members of the two teams, with the score building across the contest. Fencing rewards quick decisions, distance control, and timing as much as speed. The weapon’s rules shape tactics, so a foil match can feel quite different from epee or sabre.
Judo
Judo is a Japanese martial art and Olympic sport focused on throws and control. Athletes wear a uniform called a judogi, grip the opponent’s uniform, and try to score with a clean throw or control them on the mat. A successful decisive score can end a match; athletes can also score through other permitted actions, depending on the rules.
Judo competition is organized by weight division. Men and women compete in separate individual events, and the Olympic program has also included a mixed-team event. In team competition, athletes from both teams meet in a sequence of individual contests. The team with the required advantage wins the tie.
Judo is often mistaken for a sport where athletes simply try to throw one another. Balance, grip fighting, footwork, and timing are crucial because a poorly timed attack can leave the attacker vulnerable. Groundwork also matters: athletes may pin an opponent or use an approved submission technique to win or score.
Taekwondo
Olympic taekwondo is a striking sport known for fast kicks, especially kicks to the body and head. Punches may also score under the rules, but kicking techniques are central to the sport. Athletes wear protective equipment and compete on a marked area, with electronic scoring equipment used for designated scoring techniques.
Competitors are placed in weight divisions, and matches are contested in elimination brackets. Athletes score by landing valid techniques on approved target areas. The rules reward clean, controlled attacks rather than raw force alone, and penalties can affect the score or result.
Taekwondo differs from karate even though both include striking and martial-arts traditions. Olympic taekwondo has its own competition rules, scoring methods, and recognizable emphasis on kicking. Karate was included at Tokyo 2020 but is not on the current LA28 program.
Wrestling
Olympic wrestling is grappling: athletes try to take an opponent down, control them, and score through legal holds and positioning. There are no punches or kicks. Competitors aim to pin an opponent’s shoulders to the mat for an immediate win, or accumulate enough points to win on the score.
The Olympic program includes freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling for men, as well as freestyle wrestling for women. Freestyle permits attacks using the legs and allows athletes to use their legs in offense and defense. Greco-Roman wrestling forbids holds below the waist and the use of the legs to attack or defend. Those restrictions make the styles look and feel different.
Wrestlers compete in weight divisions. A match can turn on a takedown, a throw, exposure of an opponent’s back toward the mat, or a pin. The exact scoring values and match rules are governed by the sport’s current regulations, so older tournament clips may not reflect the latest details.
Are the 2028 Olympic sports and events already finalized?
The five sports listed above are part of the planned LA28 Olympic program. However, a confirmed sport does not automatically mean every operational detail is settled. The final competition schedule, athlete qualification routes, event names, and some divisions are separate decisions that organizers publish in stages.
This distinction matters if you are looking for a particular athlete’s weight class or want to know when a final will take place. A sport can be confirmed well before all event-level details are easy to find. Avoid treating a past Olympics’ timetable or category list as a guarantee for Los Angeles.
For a practical check, look for an official LA28 or IOC announcement that names the specific event, not just the sport. For rules and international competition formats, the relevant sport’s governing body is the better source. News articles may summarize a proposal or announcement, but the official schedule is the clearest reference for dates and medal events.
Which martial arts are not on the LA28 program?
Karate, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts are not among the five combat sports currently planned for LA28. Their absence does not mean they are not sports or that they lack international competitions. It means they are not included as Olympic sports in the current Los Angeles program.
Karate appeared at Tokyo 2020 as a one-Games addition, then did not return for Paris 2024 or the current LA28 lineup. Kickboxing and MMA are also not Olympic sports for Los Angeles. Do not confuse these sports with Olympic boxing, taekwondo, or wrestling simply because they share some techniques or training methods.
Other sports added to the LA28 program, including flag football, cricket, lacrosse, baseball and softball, and squash, are not combat sports. Their presence expands the Olympic program, but it does not change the five-sport combat list.
Also, “martial arts” and “combat sports” are broad labels rather than a single Olympic category. People may use them to describe activities ranging from self-defense systems to professional fighting. For an Olympic answer, the useful test is whether the sport is listed on the official Games program.
How the LA28 lineup compares with recent Summer Olympics
Combat sports have not had an identical lineup at every Summer Games. Boxing, fencing, judo, taekwondo, and wrestling are all part of the planned Los Angeles program, while karate’s appearance at Tokyo 2020 was temporary. This is why older lists of “Olympic martial arts” can give a misleading picture of the next Games.
Some sports also change their event structure between Olympics. Weight categories can be adjusted, team events can be added or revised, and athlete quotas can differ. The sport name is therefore more stable than every detail beneath it. If you are comparing athletes or medal opportunities across Games, compare the specific events and divisions, not just the headline sport.
For viewers, the simplest way to sort the five sports is by the main action. Boxing and taekwondo are striking sports, although their legal techniques differ. Judo and wrestling are grappling sports, with distinct rules and scoring. Fencing is weapon-based, with three disciplines that each have their own target and attack rules.
How to follow the combat competitions
If you want to watch the events, first decide whether you are following a sport, an athlete, or a specific medal event. That choice helps you avoid mixing up preliminary bouts with medal matches, or one weight division with another.
- Start with the sport and discipline. For fencing, note whether the event is foil, epee, or sabre. For wrestling, check freestyle or Greco-Roman. For boxing, judo, and taekwondo, identify the athlete’s division once the official LA28 categories are published.
- Check the official schedule. Confirm the competition date, session, and round using the final LA28 schedule. Preliminary rounds and finals may take place on different days.
- Learn the scoring basics. A pin can end a wrestling match, a judo throw may decide a contest, and fencing’s right-of-way rules affect foil and sabre. Knowing one or two rules makes it easier to follow the action.
- Check the match format. Elimination brackets, team contests, and individual finals do not work the same way. A team result may depend on several bouts, while an individual contest is decided by one matchup.
A useful viewing tip is to check the discipline and round before searching for a replay. Event listings often shorten sport names, and a result page may group several events under one heading. Searching for the athlete plus the exact discipline or division is more reliable than searching only the sport name.
What people often get wrong about Olympic combat sports
The most common mistake is assuming that every sport involving fighting techniques is an Olympic combat sport. Olympic status is specific to the program for a particular Games. Shared techniques do not make two sports interchangeable: Olympic taekwondo is not kickboxing, and wrestling is not MMA.
Another mistake is treating “confirmed sport” as shorthand for “every event detail is final.” The decision to include a sport and the publication of categories, quotas, and the complete schedule are related but separate steps. When an exact weight class or date matters, verify that detail independently.
Finally, do not assume that all combat sports use weight divisions in the same way or that a gold medal is awarded in one single open category. Weight classes help create fair matchups in several sports, while fencing is organized around weapons and individual or team events. The structure depends on the sport, so use the event name rather than a broad label when checking results.
The five combat sports scheduled for Los Angeles are boxing, fencing, judo, taekwondo, and wrestling. Karate, kickboxing, and MMA are not on the current LA28 list, and each included sport has its own rules and event structure.
For the most useful next step, check the official LA28 schedule when you want a specific competition date, division, or medal event. Use the sport’s governing body for rule details, since formats and categories can differ from earlier Games.
In short, what combat sports will be in the 2028 olympics has a clear answer: those five sports. Confirm event-level details separately as the final schedule is published.