Five new sports - a mix of old and new - are set to be added to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Hosted at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the west coast city will host its third-ever games starting on July 14, 2028.
The 2024 Paris Olympics saw the debuts of breaking, climbing, surfing, and the return of skateboarding to mixed levels of popularity and fanfare. Breaking is not set to return in 2028.
IOC President Thomas Bach explained the decision-making process behind the new selections for 2028: “The choice of these five new sports is in line with the American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sports to the world, while bringing international sports to the United States.
"These sports will make the Olympic Games LA28 unique. Their inclusion will allow the Olympic Movement to engage with new athlete and fan communities in the US and globally.”
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Here are the new sports:
LACROSSE: Lacrosse will appear at the Olympics for just the third time overall and the first occasion since 1908. Games will feature teams of six instead of the regular ten per side.
SQUASH: Squash will be making its Olympic debut in Los Angeles. Considering the rise of pickleball and paddle internationally, it would not be surprising to see those racket sports follow suit in the coming years.
BASEBALL/SOFTBALL: Baseball (men's) and Softball (women's) are longtime Olympic stalwarts and were both held at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Baseball was first contested at the 1992 Barcelona Games, while Softball made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
CRICKET: Cricket has featured once in the Olympics....back at the 1900 Paris Games. Great Britain took home the event's only gold and will be amongst the favorites again. In Los Angeles, cricket will be contested in its shortened T20 format.
FLAG FOOTBALL: Arguably the event garnering the most anticipation amongst American fans, both men's and women's Flag Football will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles. Several NFL players are rumored to be interested in playing, including New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers .
When asked about reuniting with ex-teammate Devante Adams, Rodges told Kay Adams "It might be in the 2028 Olympics if they let some of the old guys go out and play. But we'll see."
The NFL used Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts to film their promotional video for the 2028 Olympics. In the commercial, Hurts launches a flaming football to light the torch resting on top of the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Additionally, Paraclimbing will be added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics following the success of climbing at the 2024 games.
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