Los Angeles brings the 2028 Olympic Closing Ceremony back to its historic roots, uniting the city’s past and future at the iconic Memorial Coliseum
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games will conclude where the city’s Olympic legacy first began at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Originally built to attract and host the Olympic Games, the Coliseum’s design pays homage to the iconic arenas of ancient Greece.
The closing ceremony, initially planned to be split between the LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, will now take place exclusively at the Coliseum in Exposition Park. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to remove SoFi Stadium from the closing ceremony plan, a setup that will still apply to the opening ceremony on July 14, 2028.
There was no prior discussion before the council’s vote. As the host city, Los Angeles is required under the Games Agreement to provide written approval for any venue changes to the official Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2028 Games.
The Coliseum, which previously hosted Olympic Opening Ceremonies in 1932 and 1984, will make history once again in 2028. “This is something very important that LA28, the council, and members of the community have been working on for months,” said Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson during an ad hoc committee meeting on October 29. “The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — built for the Olympics in the early 1930s — will become one of the only venues in the world to host three Olympic opening or closing ceremonies.”
The decision not only honors Los Angeles’ Olympic heritage but also simplifies logistics and reduces costs associated with using two separate venues.
The Paralympic Closing Ceremony will likewise take place at the Coliseum on August 27, 2028.