LA28, organising committee of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, has confirmed that Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the two events, with the Olympic opening ceremony to create a first by incorporating both venues.
The decision is largely consistent with the 2017 bid plan for the Games, but follows updates to the Olympic venue plan and precedes updates to the Paralympic venue plan. It reflects a revision to the 2028 Paralympic closing ceremony location with all other ceremonies remaining at their original venue designation.
On July 14, 2028, the Olympic opening ceremony will be shared between the Coliseum and SoFi Stadium, creating an unprecedented dual-venue celebration that will earn the former stadium the unique distinction as the first venue in history to host events for three Olympic Games.
The use of both venues seeks to align with their respective roles as competition venues for athletics and swimming, accommodating the unique scheduling adjustment for the 2028 Games, with athletics moved to the first week and swimming to the second.
LA28 said both venues will feature artistic elements that will “capture the rich culture of Los Angeles”, with the specific activities to be identified through the creative development process leading up to the Games.
The Coliseum will host the Olympic and Paralympic closing ceremonies, with the Paralympic Games to open up at SoFi Stadium, the Inglewood home of NFL franchises the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.
“The venues selected for the 2028 opening and closing ceremonies will highlight Los Angeles’s rich sporting history and cutting-edge future, showcasing the very best that LA has to offer on the world stage,” said LA28 chairperson and president, Casey Wasserman.
“These two extraordinary venues will create an unforgettable experience, welcoming fans from across the globe to an Olympic and Paralympic Games like never before and concluding what will go down as one of the most incredible Games in history.”
The venue plan for the 2028 Games was approved last month, as the medal events programme and athlete quota was confirmed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The venues of 19 sports, including baseball, cricket, and squash, was later confirmed.
LA28’s announcement of the ceremonies plan comes after Paris 2024 sought to shake up the traditional model for last year’s Games. History was made on July 26 as Paris hosted the first Olympic opening ceremony outside of a stadium environment, with hundreds of thousands of fans lining the River Seine to watch the unique event.
The Paralympics opening ceremony was also staged outside of a traditional stadium setting, with the athletes’ parade stretching from the Champs-Elysées to Place de la Concorde. Olympic opening ceremonies in non-stadium settings have the potential to become more commonplace after the IOC last year approved an amendment of an Olympic Charter rule to allow more flexibility with the host venue by replacing the words ‘Olympic stadium’ with ‘opening ceremony venue’.
Commenting on yesterday’s (Thursday’s) announcement, Carol Folt, president of the University of Southern California, said: “Our Trojan football stadium is a national landmark featuring the iconic 1932 and 1984 Olympic torch, and in 2028 will once again make history as the first stadium to host events for three Olympic Games.
“It’s an honour for us to contribute to the Olympic opening celebration and host both the Olympic and Paralympic closing ceremonies in 2028.”
Stan Kroenke, owner and chairman of the Rams, added: “Sports has the power to inspire and unite people of all backgrounds, generations, and experiences, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games serve as a model for how this unparalleled platform of sport can bridge the world.
“When we built our stadium, it was with the vision of transforming Los Angeles and bringing the biggest global events in sports and entertainment to our region. We are honoured that the world will come together at our venue and celebrate the opening ceremonies for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
