Quick Answer: olympics 2028 los angeles
The 2028 Summer Olympics run from 14 July to 30 August in Los Angeles, the city's first Summer Games since 1984 en.wikipedia.org. The event spans 23 venues across the LA metro area, anchored by SoFi Stadium in Inglewood for the opening ceremony and athletics la28.org.
For Australian fans, Sydney has the shortest runway to LAX: direct flights take around 13 to 14 hours. Economy return fares from Sydney, booked in the current 18-to-24-month window, sit around A$1,800 to A$2,800. Tickets go through a ballot at la28.org, with the Drop 2 round open now.
Key fact: HelloRoam's USA eSIM starts at ~A$4.45 for 1 GB over 7 days, running on AT&T and Verizon networks, far below what Australian carrier day packs charge for roaming in the US.
Register for the ballot today. The current fare window won't hold for long once the Games move inside 18 months.
LA 2028 Olympics at a Glance
Forty-four days of competition across one of the world's largest metro areas: LA 2028 opens 14 July at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, closing 30 August. Venues include Crypto.com Arena for basketball, Dodger Stadium for baseball and softball, and UCLA facilities for gymnastics la28.org. Baseball and softball return to the Olympic programme for the first time since Beijing 2008 en.wikipedia.org.
LA last hosted the Summer Games in 1984, running a lean, publicly funded event with the Olympic Village on the USC campus. The 2028 edition is considerably more ambitious: built around world-class existing venues across a metro area larger than Greater Melbourne, and shaped for a far larger global broadcast audience.
Brisbane 2032 gives this added weight for Australians. Navigating an Olympics at this scale, in a car-oriented city, is practical preparation for the home Games.
Ticket ballots run at la28.org, with the Drop 2 round open now insidersports.com.au. For Australians who want a guaranteed seat rather than a ballot outcome, On Location (the official Olympics hospitality operator, at onlocationexp.com) sells bundled ticket, hotel, and transfer packages from around USD $3,000 per person.
The logistics matter as much as the sport.
How to Stay Connected in Los Angeles for the Olympics
Australian carrier day packs for the US run between A$10 and A$15 per day. At the midpoint of that range, a fortnight in LA adds up to A$168 in data costs before you've bought a single Dodger Dog. Roaming charges are the quiet budget killer on a long trip.
Prepaid tourist SIM counters at LAX carry a real premium over online rates. After 20-plus hours of travel, the arrivals hall isn't where you want to be comparing plan options side by side.
The more considered approach: activate an eSIM for United States before you board. HelloRoam's USA plans run on AT&T and Verizon 5G networks. The 10 GB option at ~A$25.44 over 30 days covers the full Olympic fortnight without counting gigabytes mid-event. Tethering is supported, which means one phone can share data with travel companions across the LA metro.
Some eSIM providers accept Afterpay or Zip, which can spread the cost across multiple payments if you're juggling pre-trip expenses.
Hotel Wi-Fi during Olympic crowd peaks is unreliable. Venue networks will be congested. A tethering-capable plan is the practical fallback.
Key fact: HelloRoam's USA 10 GB eSIM plan costs ~A$25.44 for 30 days on AT&T and Verizon 5G networks.
Connectivity options for LA 2028
Scan the QR code while the cabin crew is still handing out headphones. By the time the wheels touch down at LAX, your phone has already found the network.
Connectivity sorted. Now: how do you actually get to Los Angeles from Australia?
Getting to Los Angeles from Australia for the Olympics
LAX is the only realistic international gateway from Australia for the 2028 Games. Long Beach, Burbank, and Ontario airports are domestic only, so every Australian-origin Olympics flight lands at Los Angeles International.
From Sydney, Qantas and United operate nonstops that cross the Pacific in roughly 14 hours on modern widebody aircraft. Melbourne's direct route runs 15 to 16 hours. Perth is the clear outlier.
No carrier operates a direct Perth to LAX service. Perth travellers connect through Sydney or Melbourne, adding four to six hours to an already substantial journey. That's a 20-plus-hour travel day in total: a commitment that rewards careful planning more than any other Australian departure city.
Booking timing shapes cost considerably. Economy return fares from Sydney in the late 2026 to mid-2027 window reflect the range noted above. Leave it until six to twelve months before the Games and fares climb to A$4,500 or more. Inside three months, expect limited availability at any price.
Perth travellers face a materially harder journey than their east coast counterparts, and it's worth mapping the connection options before committing to any other booking decision.
Perth Travellers: The Hidden Extra Journey
With no direct flight to LAX, every Perth traveller connects through Sydney or Melbourne, stacking an extra four to six hours onto an already substantial haul. The maths on a Perth to LA journey is unforgiving.
Book the connecting leg on the same ticket as your international flight, not as a separate booking. One itinerary triggers automatic rebooking if the domestic leg delays; two separate tickets remove that protection entirely.
The Perth departure lounge is a practical window for activating your travel eSIM while you still have airport Wi-Fi.
Getting Around Olympic Venues in Los Angeles
Public transit covers the three core Olympic zones for LA 2028 more effectively than the city's car-dependent reputation suggests: the LAX corridor, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and the Westwood/UCLA venue cluster. A hire car isn't the default option here.
Compare eSIM plans for United States — See 2026 pricing →
The K Line (Crenshaw/LAX)
This is the line that matters most for arriving Australians. It runs from near LAX through Inglewood, where SoFi Stadium sits, then continues into Downtown LA. The opening ceremony and athletics finals both take place at SoFi, which holds 70,000 spectators. On peak competition days, the K Line puts you at the gates without touching a freeway.
Purple Line Extension
The Purple Line extension to Westwood and the UCLA campus completed its run during 2025-2026. UCLA hosts several disciplines across the Games, and Crypto.com Arena in Downtown handles basketball for crowds of up to 20,000. With both lines running, moving between the Westside and central LA by rail is a workable journey rather than a taxi gamble.
TAP Card
Load a TAP card (the LA Metro's transit card) via the TAP app before you land. Pre-loading credit from Australia saves time at station machines when you arrive after a long flight.
Live Data Is Not Optional
Google Maps' offline mode covers basic navigation but drops real-time transit updates and venue-specific wayfinding. Moving between Olympic sites across a city this size without live mobile data means navigating with a frozen map. Make sure your data plan is active before leaving your accommodation each morning.
Tickets are the next piece of the puzzle. The pricing picture is more layered than most guides suggest.
How Much Do LA 2028 Tickets Cost?
Official face-value prices for LA 2028 tickets haven't been confirmed by LA28 organisers as of mid-2026. The ballot system isn't live yet, but registration is open, and that's where careful preparation starts.
Register at la28.org now. When ticket pricing goes live, registered accounts gain early ballot access. Moving first matters here. Athletics and swimming finals are historically the fastest allocations to exhaust in any Olympic ballot: those two disciplines attract the largest global audiences against the smallest per-session seat volumes. If your trip is built around a marquee event, be in the queue the day the ballot opens.
Official Hospitality Packages
On Location, the official Olympics hospitality operator, sells bundled packages through onlocationexp.com. These cover tickets, accommodation and venue transfers in a single purchase. Entry-level pricing for these packages was noted earlier in this guide; at the premium end, packages reach USD $10,000+ per person. For Australians making a trip that took months of planning, the certainty of a confirmed package often justifies the cost.
Building a Realistic Budget
Budget two to three times the expected face value for premium finals sessions. That's not pessimism. It reflects realistic demand for high-profile Olympic sessions and how resale markets respond once official ballot stocks exhaust.
For heats, team sports and morning sessions, official allocations hold longer and the price pressure drops considerably.
Register now, decide later. The ballot costs nothing to enter, and ticket decisions can wait until pricing is confirmed.
Before committing to specific sessions, check what's actually on the 2028 program. The sport list carries a few genuine surprises.
What Sport Is Being Removed from the 2028 Olympics?
Boxing has been removed from the LA 2028 Olympics program. The IOC voted to exclude the sport, citing persistent concerns about governance and anti-doping enforcement within boxing's international governing body en.wikipedia.org. It's the highest-profile departure from a program that is simultaneously gaining five new disciplines.
That's the removal. The additions are where it gets interesting.
Five New Sports Joining LA 2028
LA28 adds five new disciplines to the program la28.org:
- Cricket T20: the sport's first appearance at the Olympic Games, ever
- Flag football: the non-contact variant of American football, chosen for its North American audience appeal
- Baseball/softball: returning to the Games after being dropped following Athens 2004
- Lacrosse: added to the LA28 program as a fast-paced field discipline
- Squash: long a fringe candidate for Olympic inclusion, finally confirmed
Cricket T20: The Australian Angle
Cricket T20's Olympic debut is historic en.wikipedia.org. Australia is eligible to compete, which gives Australian spectators a reason to follow the cricket draw alongside the athletics and swimming programs. The format is short, broadcast-friendly and suited to the Olympic schedule. For fans who want to combine a traditional Olympic experience with cricket, LA 2028 offers a genuinely unusual opportunity.
The full competition schedule is being published progressively at la28.org as venues and timings are confirmed. Check the site regularly through 2026 and 2027 if you're building a multi-sport itinerary.
With the program taking shape and venues mapped, the practical question becomes building a complete booking action plan before flight availability tightens.
Planning Your LA 2028 Olympics Trip from Australia: Action Timeline
Six steps separate a well-sorted LA 2028 Olympics trip from a last-minute scramble. Done in order, with timing respected, they keep costs manageable and options open. The most time-sensitive step is also the cheapest one.
1. Register at la28.org now (free) Ticket ballot access requires pre-registration. Sign up at LA28's official registration page. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing. Do this today.
2. Book flights in the late 2026 to mid-2027 window Economy return fares from Sydney and Melbourne to LAX are most competitive in that window, as outlined in the flights section above. Flexible-fare options carry a modest premium but make sense before your ballot result is confirmed.
3. Purchase travel insurance at the time of booking flights Event cancellation cover is the critical add-on. A standard policy won't reimburse Olympics sessions if an event is rescheduled or cancelled without that specific clause. Read the PDS before purchasing.
4. Book refundable accommodation once tickets are confirmed Hold refundable rates until your ballot result arrives. LA is a sprawling city, and where you stay relative to SoFi Stadium or UCLA venues makes a practical difference to daily transit time.
5. Check On Location packages from mid-2026 The official hospitality operator at On Location's Olympics hospitality page bundles tickets, hotels, and transfers. The premium package price range was noted in an earlier section. Worth a look if certainty matters more to you than cost.
6. Install a USA eSIM before the gate closes A 13-to-16-hour flight from Sydney or Melbourne leaves you jet-lagged and arriving at odd hours. Having mobile data active before you reach the arrivals hall removes one variable from a long day.
Visa, Insurance and ESTA Requirements for Australians
Australians need an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization, the US visa waiver program) to enter the United States. Apply at least 72 hours before departure; three months out is the practical target. The fee is USD $21, and approval is valid for two years from the date of issue. ESTA ties to your passport number. Renew your passport before the Games and you'll need a new ESTA, too. Sort both before you book the flights.
Reviewed by HelloRoam's editorial team. Last updated: 09 June 2026.
Get Connected Before You Go
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles is hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics from 14 July to 30 August. Brisbane, Australia will host the 2032 Summer Games, making LA 2028 a practical trial run for Australian fans.
The 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles across 23 venues, with SoFi Stadium as the centrepiece. Brisbane, Australia hosts the 2032 Summer Games.
Official face-value prices have not been confirmed as of mid-2026. Registration at la28.org is free and required for ballot access. Official hospitality packages start around USD $3,000 per person.
Boxing has been removed from the LA 2028 Olympics. The IOC excluded it due to persistent governance and anti-doping concerns within boxing's international governing body.
The 2028 Summer Olympics run from 14 July to 30 August in Los Angeles, spanning 44 days of competition across 23 venues in the LA metro area.
LA 2028 spans 23 venues including SoFi Stadium for the opening ceremony, Crypto.com Arena for basketball, Dodger Stadium for baseball and softball, and UCLA facilities for gymnastics.
Five new sports join LA 2028: Cricket T20, flag football, baseball/softball, lacrosse, and squash. Cricket T20 marks the sport's first-ever appearance at the Olympic Games.
Yes, Cricket T20 makes its Olympic debut at LA 2028. Australia is eligible to compete, giving Australian fans the rare chance to follow cricket alongside traditional Olympic events.
Direct flights from Sydney to LAX take around 13 to 14 hours. Melbourne's direct route runs 15 to 16 hours. Perth travellers must connect via Sydney or Melbourne, adding 4 to 6 hours.
Economy return fares from Sydney booked 18 to 24 months out range from A$1,800 to A$2,800. Waiting until 6 to 12 months before the Games can push fares to A$4,500 or more.
Activating a USA eSIM before departure is recommended. A 10 GB plan on AT&T and Verizon 5G networks costs around A$25.44 for 30 days, far less than Australian carrier day packs at A$10 to A$15 per day.
Australian carrier day packs for the US cost A$10 to A$15 per day, totalling up to A$210 for a two-week trip. A 10 GB eSIM for 30 days costs around A$25.44, making eSIM far more cost-effective.
The K Line connects LAX to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and Downtown LA. The Purple Line extension serves Westwood and UCLA. Load a TAP card via the TAP app before arriving to save time.
Australians need an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to enter the USA. Apply at least 72 hours before departure; three months out is recommended. The fee is USD $21.
Register for free at la28.org to gain ballot access when ticket sales open. Athletics and swimming finals are historically the fastest sessions to exhaust, so early registration is essential.
The optimal booking window is late 2026 to mid-2027, when economy return fares from Sydney sit around A$1,800 to A$2,800. Waiting until six months before the Games risks fares of A$4,500 or more.
Yes, the official Olympics hospitality operator sells bundled ticket, hotel, and transfer packages from around USD $3,000 per person, with premium packages exceeding USD $10,000.
LA's metro covers the main Olympic zones more effectively than its car-dependent reputation suggests. The K Line and Purple Line extension serve SoFi Stadium, UCLA venues, and Downtown LA.
No carrier operates a direct Perth to LAX service. Perth travellers must connect through Sydney or Melbourne, adding 4 to 6 hours and making the total journey exceed 20 hours.
Purchase travel insurance when booking flights and ensure the policy includes event cancellation cover. Standard policies may not reimburse Olympic sessions if events are rescheduled or cancelled.
Sources
- la28.org — la28.org
- en.wikipedia.org — en.wikipedia.org (2028)
- 2028 OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC GAMES PLAN — la28.org
- LA28 Olympic Games — olympics.com (2028)
- LA28 Olympics 2028 | Dates, Tickets & VIP Experiences — insidersports.com.au
