USA, April 19 – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially approved the event programme and athlete quotas for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28), marking a groundbreaking step towards gender equality and sport innovation. Featuring 351 medal events—22 more than Paris 2024—the LA28 programme retains the core 10,500 athlete quota, with an additional 698 spots allocated for five new sports: baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash.
For the first time in Olympic history, all team sports will have equal representation, with football set to feature more women’s teams than men’s (16 vs 12) and water polo now including 12 women’s teams, matching the men’s total. The LA28 Games will also showcase six new mixed-gender events and bring gender parity across all boxing categories.
Exciting innovations include the debut of 50m sprints in swimming, coastal beach sprint events in rowing, and an expanded format in basketball 3×3. The event programme reflects a forward-looking vision rooted in gender balance, global appeal, and athlete experience—setting a bold precedent for future Olympic Games.
