If ticket registration was an Olympic sport, the opening for the LA28 Olympics would take home gold. Even as excitement builds around the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony this Friday, it seems people are already looking forward to their warmer counterpart. Los Angeles, CA will be the host for the 2028 summer Olympics. The public’s excitement was confirmed by their reaction to the opening day for ticket registration, which saw higher volumes of traffic than ever before. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late for you to start planning your own LA28 trip!
LA28 Olympics sees overwhelming ticket registration on opening day
The LA28 Olympics are still over 900 days away. That may feel far out, and it’s certainly less immediate than this winter’s Olympic bobsledding and figure-skating. But it’s just the right distance out to register for tickets, which seems to be the common idea. Ticket registration for LA28 officially opened January 14. The Santa Monica Daily Press reported that within the first day, over 1.5 million people from over 150 different countries had already registered! This is significantly more opening-day engagement than ever seen before, and seemingly more than the site expected.
While the excitement for LA28 was high, there was a challenge with so many people trying to register at once. KCRA news described users being redirected to waiting queues instead of the registration page. This led to some initial concern and confusion. But this was just a temporary inconvenience (and an understandable one with such record-breaking numbers). The good news for fans still hoping to get tickets is that registration remains open, and the process is less intimidating than you may think.
Why you don’t want to miss the LA28 Olympics and how to get tickets
The Olympics are hard to oversell–it’s no surprise why so many fans are interested in tickets. And for those in the US, seeing LA28 live is nothing short of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only have they demonstrated high early-registration numbers, but the LA Times stated LA28 also distinguished themselves by offering one of the widest selections of competition ever. With 36 sports on the schedule, they guarantee something for everyone to enjoy. The LA28 Olympics will also mark the first time in over two decades that the US has hosted the games, according to The Sporting News. For those in the states, this is about as rare and convenient an opportunity as you can get. I mean, what beats a California summer day enjoyed by cheering on Olympic surfing?
How to get your LA28 Tickets
Obviously, lots of people have already started the ticket-process. So how do you begin yours? First, you’ll want to visit tickets.la28.org. There you’ll be prompted to create a profile and register, that’s the first step. After you’re registered, The Sporting News outlined how LA28’s lottery system will randomly select users to enter a ticket drop sale. If selected, you’ll have a window to buy up to 12 tickets with prices starting at just $28 (a fitting and affordable number for LA28). And that’s it. You’ll get an email about your timeslot, and before you know it, you’re on your way to the games!
But if you’re not selected for Drop 1, don’t worry. You’ll still have the chance to be entered into the following drops, as the sale will take place in multiple phases. And even with lots of people already registered your chances are better than ever before; the Los Angeles Times announced there will be an unprecedented 14 million tickets available for the event.
And registration is already open! Just make sure you act before March 18, when it closes. The Sporting News stated that Drop 1 will take place in April.
LA28 Olympics community acknowledgement: Appreciating the locals
Like mentioned earlier, the US hasn’t hosted the games in a long time. To commemorate the honor, AP News shared that special initiatives were being taken to acknowledge the residents of LA and Oklahoma City. This includes a special ticket pre-sale happening in the first week of April, before Drop 1. In November, there were also fundraising efforts in hopes of giving locals a chance to attend the games for free. If you’re a local, be sure to take advantage of these deals as the LA28 Olympics show appreciation for their host city.
Stay informed about all things LA28
So, it looks like the first LA28 Olympic record has been broken. Don’t miss the rest! Once registered, keep an eye on your email and stay informed about LA28 by signing up for their newsletter. Their official site has lots of additional information too, including the full schedules for both the Olympics and Paralympics. It also importantly features a live countdown–900 days will pass before you know it. Hopefully, as the countdown hits 0, you’ll be there in-person as the torch is lit to kick off the LA28 Olympics.