The road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games has officially begun — and for sports fans around the world, the starting gun has just fired. Registration is now open for a chance to buy tickets to the LA 2028 Olympics, with prices starting at just $28 (£21), signalling a strong push to make the Games affordable and accessible.
Fans can sign up for a random ticket draw covering every Olympic event set to take place in 2028. Registration will remain open until 18 March, and there is no advantage to signing up early. Once the window closes, selected fans will be notified by email and assigned a time slot to purchase tickets in April.
Organisers say affordability is at the heart of the ticketing strategy. One million tickets will be priced at $28, while roughly one-third of all tickets will cost less than $100 (£74.41). The approach echoes the pricing structure used at the Paris 2024 Games, where tickets also started at around $28.
“These Games belong to everyone,” said LA 2028 chairman Casey Wasserman. “These Games have to be affordable and inclusive.”
The announcement comes at a time when ticket prices for major sporting events have come under scrutiny, particularly following public criticism of pricing for the 2026 men’s football World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. LA 2028 officials were keen to stress that accessibility — both financial and geographic — has been central to their planning.
If selected in the draw, fans will receive a designated time slot between 9 and 19 April to purchase tickets. However, a time slot does not guarantee tickets will still be available, meaning earlier slots offer better chances. Tickets for both the opening and closing ceremonies will be included in this first sales phase.
A special early purchasing window will also be made available for residents of the Los Angeles area and Oklahoma City, which will host canoeing and softball events during the Games.
The ticket registration launch was marked with a symbolic celebration on Tuesday at the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum. Event organisers were joined by hundreds of Olympians and Paralympians for the ceremonial lighting of the venue’s Olympic cauldron — a nod to the city’s deep Olympic history.
Los Angeles previously hosted the Games in 1932 and 1984, with the Coliseum playing a central role on both occasions. In 2028, the historic venue will once again take centre stage, co-hosting the opening ceremony and staging track and field events. The Games will largely rely on existing infrastructure across Los Angeles and southern California, reinforcing the city’s plan for a sustainable and cost-effective Olympics.
LA28 chief Allison Katz-Mayfield described the random ticket draw as “the fairest way” to distribute access. “No matter when you go in, whether you’re the first person or the last person, you have the same opportunity,” she said.
With the Olympics returning to US soil for the first time since Atlanta 1996, anticipation is building fast. For fans dreaming of witnessing sporting history in Los Angeles, the countdown — and the chance — starts now.