On your marks, get set, go – the race to buy tickets for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles has now officially started. Well, sort of. The portal to register for the first ticket draw opened on Wednesday, even though the Games are still over two and a half years away.
So how does it work?
Similar to the 2024 Paris Games, anyone looking to buy tickets will first need to register their interest in the draw via the LA28 website.
Consider it the first gateway to your ticket purchase. This initial window for registration is open from January 14th to March 18th, 2026, after which you will be notified by email if you’ve been assigned a time slot during one of first ticket drops (or throughout the multiple future ticket drops).
Anyone who wants access to a ticket, whether for one sport or multiple events, will need to register for the LA28 ticket draw. But the registration does not involve any payment or obligation to purchase.
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What exactly does that mean?
No payment is required or asked of at this stage. It’s solely to register your interest. The randomly selected time slots to purchase tickets during Drop 1 will then open from April 9th to April 19th, 2026.
Rolling drops will continue after that period, although fans are encouraged to register for the best choice of tickets and events, as capacity may be filled or limited in subsequent drops. A case, perhaps, of getting in early to avoid the rush.
But this also comes with a warning: “You may not register for the draw using multiple accounts or purchase tickets through multiple accounts. Violating LA28’s terms and conditions for the draw may disqualify you from future participation or ticket purchases.”
How many tickets are they planning to make available?
A record 14 million tickets will be sold, a notable increase on the 12.1 million tickets sold for Paris 2024. Each registered person can only purchase up to a maximum of 12 tickets, either for individual sessions, or multiple tickets for the same session (subject to change in certain sports).
LA28 will also be the biggest Olympics to date, featuring 36 sports and 51 disciplines across 49 competition venues in 18 zones throughout the LA region and Oklahoma City. The 2028 opening ceremony will take place on July 14th, and the closing ceremony on July 30th.
What about the ticket prices?
Good question. The exact details on pricing for all categories will only be available when Drop 1 opens in April, although the LA organisers have promised to make at least one million tickets available across the 36 sports on the Olympic programme for as little as $28 (referring to the year, obviously).
They’re also saying at this stage that a third of the tickets will be priced under $100.
In addition, they’ll be offering “local” presale tickets, the first window opening from April 2nd-April 6th, for residents of the Greater LA and Oklahoma City regions only.
Why did the All Blacks drop a coaching bombshell?
What about dynamic pricing?
No, the dynamic pricing system which hiked up already exorbitant ticket prices for this summer’s World Cup won’t be an issue here. Or at least not though the LA28 website, which won’t be allowing tickets to be resold on its own platform for anything above the agreed set price.
However, there is less control over secondary ticket agents or licensed tour and hospitality groups, so you might still need to watch that space.
LA28 claim their ticket system is “purpose-built to ensure a scrupulously fair and coherent procedural sequence, preventing congestion and giving as many people as possible a genuine chance to secure seats”.
Can we send cash in the post if successful in the ticket draw?
Eh, no. In recognition of its long-standing partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Visa is the only official way to pay.
What about the Paralympics ticket sales?
They won’t begin until 2027, with the dates for Paralympics set for August 15th-27th, 2028.
Isn’t it a bit early to start getting excited?
Possibly, although demand for tickets is sure to be high (even if the Games coincide with the last few months of Donald Trump’s US presidency, assuming he is still in office at that point).
LA28 have already announced all venue plans and a detailed schedule of events, most notably a historic swap of the athletics and swimming competitions. Athletics will now take place in the first nine days of the Games, while swimming will be held in the second week.
