Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: Complete Canadian Travel Guide

Quick Answer: olympics 2028 los angeles

The 2028 Summer Olympics run in Los Angeles from July 14 to July 30, 2028. It's LA's third time hosting, following 1932 and 1984 en.wikipedia.org. Tickets go through a lottery system at la28.org, with group event sessions starting around USD $25 and opening ceremony seats climbing well past USD $500.

Canadian travellers enter the US on a valid Canadian passport alone. No visa, no ESTA required.

Key fact: HelloRoam offers USA eSIM plans (digital SIM cards activated by scanning a QR code) from ~C$3.93 for 1GB over 7 days, running on AT&T and Verizon 5G networks. An eSIM for United States activated before departure means you're connected the moment you clear customs at LAX.

Planning data coverage early makes sense for a 16-day event spread across multiple venues. The ticket and budget picture has more layers than the headline dates suggest.

Quick Answer: Los Angeles 2028 Olympics at a Glance

The LA28 Summer Olympics run July 14 to July 30, 2028, a 16-day programme across venues spread throughout Greater Los Angeles la28.org. Los Angeles becomes only the third city to host the Summer Olympics three times, joining Paris and London on that short list en.wikipedia.org.

Ticket access works through a lottery at la28.org. Drop 2 draw registrations are open now. Registering doesn't guarantee an allocation, but not registering guarantees you won't get one.

Canadian travellers have a clean entry path. A valid Canadian passport covers everything: no US visa, no ESTA needed, whether arriving at LAX, crossing a land border, or connecting through a smaller gateway. That's a simpler situation than most international Olympic destinations require.

Data planning rewards early attention. A 5GB 30-day USA plan from HelloRoam at ~C$13.71 covers AT&T and Verizon 5G networks, practical for continuous navigation across LA's sprawling venue map. Contrast that with Rogers or Bell roaming add-ons, which charge on a per-day basis and accumulate quickly over a multi-week trip.

Ticket tiers deserve their own breakdown. The spread between the cheapest session and the most expensive seat is substantial.

How Much Will LA 2028 Tickets Cost?

LA28 ticket prices span from accessible to steep, depending entirely on the event and session type. Group event sessions, covering early rounds in sports like swimming, basketball, and track and field, start at approximately USD $25. Opening ceremony seats run from roughly USD $500 at the entry level to USD $3,000 or more for premium positions insidersports.com.au.

The lottery is the catch.

Registering at la28.org for a Drop 2 ticket ballot puts you in contention, but allocation isn't guaranteed. LA28 runs a lottery system, which means popularity determines your odds. For the opening ceremony and marquee finals, competition will be intense. Spreading registrations across multiple sports and session types improves your chances meaningfully compared to targeting a single high-profile event.

On Location, the official Olympics hospitality operator, sells bundled packages combining tickets, accommodation, and transfers starting at approximately USD $3,000 per person. For travellers who want certainty rather than lottery luck, that premium buys a confirmed spot. The cost is real; the trade-off is worth understanding before the draw results come back.

A measured approach: register for several sessions now, hold refundable accommodation until tickets are confirmed, and set a clear threshold for what a hospitality package is actually worth before browsing options. The window for the current draw is open and there's no cost to entering.

The flight booking window is equally consequential. Prices shift sharply depending on how far in advance you commit.

Planning Your 2028 Olympics Trip from Canada

Book Toronto-to-LAX flights before mid-2027 if you're targeting the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics without paying a last-minute fare premium. Economy returns from YYZ to LAX typically run CAD $2,500 to $3,500 when booked 18 to 24 months out. Push past the 12-month mark and fares climb steeply as available seat inventory shrinks.

LAX is the only international gateway for Los Angeles. Long Beach, Burbank, and Ontario airports handle domestic routes only, so every international arrival flows through Tom Bradley International Terminal. Build generous buffer into any connecting itinerary.

ESTA: Handle This Early

Canadians entering the US need ESTA (the US electronic travel authorisation), not a full visa. It takes minutes to apply online and stays valid for two years and multiple entries once approved. Apply at least three months before departure. The considered approach is to file it in late 2027, which covers the Games and any US stopover on the return leg. Treating it as a same-week task creates an avoidable source of stress on a trip that already has plenty of moving parts.

Accommodation: Stay Flexible Until Tickets Clear

Book refundable rooms now, not non-refundable ones. LA's hotel supply during the Olympic window will be tight, and rates reflect that well before opening day. The sensible strategy is to hold a cancellable booking near your primary venue cluster, then confirm or switch once tickets clear. LA28 runs its ticket draws in multiple drops, and knowing which venues you're attending shapes which neighbourhood to anchor near.

For travellers who'd rather skip the uncertainty, On Location (the official Olympics hospitality operator at onlocationexp.com) packages confirmed tickets, hotel, and venue transfers together starting from several thousand USD per person. Not a budget option, but the guesswork disappears entirely.

Travel insurance with event cancellation cover belongs on the same list as flights. Olympic programmes shift, and circumstances change.

Flights and accommodation sorted. Data and calls still need a plan before you land at LAX.

Staying Connected in Los Angeles During the 2028 Olympics

Roaming on Rogers, Bell, or Telus in the US runs roughly CAD $14 per day. Across a 16-day trip, that adds up to around CAD $224 in connectivity charges before you've opened a single Maps session or booked a rideshare. An eSIM plan with per-GB pricing structures the cost differently: pay for data consumed, not for each calendar day you're there.

The flat daily rate is the underlying frustration. Use your phone lightly one day and heavily the next: Rogers, Bell, and Telus charge the same either way. That's a trade-off worth factoring carefully over a 16-day stay where data consumption varies day to day.

Venue and Transit Connectivity

SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles both carry strong 5G coverage from AT&T and Verizon. Three things rely on live data throughout the Games: the LA Metro TAP card (LA's transit card, loaded digitally through the app), rideshare pickups from venues where pricing spikes sharply the moment tens of thousands of people leave at once, and navigating the K Line between Inglewood and downtown on a schedule that doesn't wait.

Los Angeles venues span from Inglewood to Westwood to downtown. Navigation apps run almost continuously in a city this spread out. Add venue entry QR codes, schedule apps, and messaging, and data consumption builds up steadily over 16 days.

Pre-activate the eSIM before departure. It connects to the US network on landing, which means a working TAP app and live maps before you've cleared customs at LAX.

A one-night US stay with hotel Wi-Fi as your primary connection probably doesn't warrant a separate data plan. Sixteen days across venues in three parts of the city is a different situation entirely.

Connected and budgeted. Next: understanding exactly where the events are held and how LA28's venue choices came together.

Where Will the 2028 and 2032 Olympics Be Held?

Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics; Brisbane, Australia takes the 2032 Games en.wikipedia.org. For context on the IOC calendar: Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted the 2026 Winter Games earlier this year, making LA28 the next scheduled Summer Olympics on the programme.

LA28's No-New-Stadiums Approach

What distinguishes the Los Angeles Games structurally is the decision not to build permanent venues. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, home of the LA Rams and Chargers, hosts the opening ceremony and athletics. The Olympic Village sits on UCLA's Westwood campus, with the Purple Line metro extension to Westwood expected to be operational well before 2028, connecting the venue directly to downtown LA's metro network la28.org. Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles handles basketball and indoor events.

No permanent construction debt is the sustainability argument at the centre of the LA28 pitch. Whether the model produces the same atmosphere as purpose-built Olympic facilities is the more nuanced question organisers are still working to answer. Recent host cities have had mixed experiences in either direction.

Brisbane 2032

Brisbane is a decade away. The 2032 Games will be the first Australian Summer Olympics since Sydney 2000, which sets a considerable expectation benchmark ausport.gov.au. Venue planning remains early-stage.

Volunteering With LA28

The LA28 volunteer programme is accepting applications through the LA28 volunteer information page. Roles cover venues, transport, and media operations. Canadian travellers are eligible to apply, though most positions will draw from local recruitment pools.

Venues and the broader LA28 structure confirmed. One programme change affects which events are available to watch live, and it reshapes several ticket categories worth understanding before you finalise your schedule.

What Sport Is Being Removed from the 2028 Olympics?

Boxing and breakdancing are both off the LA28 programme en.wikipedia.org. Knowing this now saves you from planning around events that won't appear on the schedule.

Boxing's exit followed years of tension between the International Olympic Committee and the International Boxing Association (IBA) over governance concerns, including judging controversies. The IOC withdrew its recognition of the IBA in 2023, and boxing subsequently lost its slot for Los Angeles.

Breaking is the stranger case. It debuted at Paris 2024, drew strong viewership, yet won't travel to LA28. The IOC chose not to include it, citing the host city's programming priorities.

One Games and out.

Four sports join the lineup: cricket in a Twenty20 format, flag football, lacrosse, and squash olympics.com. Cricket's inclusion carries real global reach, with strong followings across South Asia, the Caribbean, and the UK. The other three align neatly with LA28's North American audience, which fits the host city's commercial priorities.

The total programme sits at roughly 32 sports. Confirmed events, dates, and venue assignments are published at the LA28 official competition schedule as details are finalised.

With your event list sorted, the next practical challenge is moving between 20 geographically spread venues without surrendering half your trip to LA traffic.

Getting Around Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics

Los Angeles Metro covers the three most critical Olympic venue clusters, and knowing which two lines to use cuts through the guesswork considerably.

The K Line (Crenshaw/LAX Line) is the workhorse. It runs from the LAX area through Inglewood, where SoFi Stadium sits, then connects through to Downtown Los Angeles. Arriving from Canada at LAX and heading to a first event at SoFi that evening? That's your line.

The Purple Line extension to Westwood and UCLA was scheduled to open by 2026. Once running, it puts the UCLA athletics and aquatics venues within a direct Metro ride from central Los Angeles, no transfer required.

Three things to handle before you board your Air Canada or WestJet flight:

1. Load your TAP card via the app before arriving. The TAP card is LA Metro's reloadable transit pass. Pre-loading at home skips the station machine queues on arrival day, when you'll have luggage and a tight timeline.
2. Download offline maps covering greater Los Angeles. Navigation runs on cached maps without any data connection; rideshare apps do not.
3. Confirm your US data plan is active before landing. As covered earlier, having mobile data from the moment you clear customs means rideshare apps, Metro alerts, and real-time maps work without delay.

Surge pricing on rideshares during major session changeovers can spike sharply. For predictable travel during high-demand windows, Metro is the more reliable bet.

Reviewed by HelloRoam's editorial team. Last updated: 09 June 2026.