2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizers announce major shake-ups

Los Angeles, California - Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics announced a slew of venue and scheduling changes on Friday, which include switching athletics to the first week of the Games while other sports will be staged more than 1,300 miles away in Oklahoma City.

Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics announced a slew of venue and schedule changes on Friday.
Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics announced a slew of venue and schedule changes on Friday.  © IMAGO / USA TODAY Network

Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics announced a slew of venue and schedule changes on Friday, which include switching athletics to the first week of the Games while other sports will be staged more than 1,300 miles away in Oklahoma City.

Traditionally held in the second week of the Olympics after the swimming competition, track, and field will now be staged in the opening week of the Games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which hosted athletics events at both the 1932 and 1984 Olympics.

Swimming will take place in the second week of the Olympics and be held at the 70,000-capacity SoFi Stadium, the futuristic $5 billion home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers NFL teams.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's injury revealed after brutal NBA Finals exit
Athletes Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's injury revealed after brutal NBA Finals exit
Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate first NBA title with hometown parade
NBA Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate first NBA title with hometown parade

Seating for around 38,000 spectators will be available for the swimming competition in a move that mirrors this week's US Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis, which have taken place in a pool constructed at the home of the Indianapolis Colts.

The move to switch athletics to the opening week was welcomed by the sport's global governing body, with World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe hailing it as a "visionary" change.

Los Angeles Olympics announce move to venues in Oklahoma City

Swimming will take place in the second week of the Olympics and be held at the 70,000-capacity SoFi Stadium.
Swimming will take place in the second week of the Olympics and be held at the 70,000-capacity SoFi Stadium.  © IMAGO / Pond5 Images

"This change underscores our commitment to innovation in athletics and elevating the global profile of our athletes," Coe said in a statement.

The men's and women's marathons, meanwhile, will continue to be held on the final weekend of the games, with medals handed out at the closing ceremony.

Other notable venue changes announced on Friday included moving the sports of canoe slalom and softball to Oklahoma City.

Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft?
NBA Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft?
Oklahoma City makes history as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder to NBA title
NBA Oklahoma City makes history as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder to NBA title

An LA28 statement said the decision was taken to avoid building temporary venues for the two sports, instead taking advantage of "world-class" existing venues in Oklahoma City.

LA28 president Casey Wasserman said the venue changes, which also include basketball being held at the future home of the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood rather than the downtown arena, which hosts the Los Angeles Lakers, would achieve more than $150 million in savings and new revenue.

"LA28's updated venue plan will provide the ideal Hollywood stage for the world's top athletes, and choosing from spectacular existing venues, wherever they are, rather than building new permanent or temporary stadiums, achieves more than $150 million in savings and new revenue to help maintain a balanced budget," Wasserman said.

Cover photo: IMAGO / USA TODAY Network

More on Olympics: