What to KnowThe Olympics will return to Los Angeles for an historic third time in 2028.The LA 2028 Olympics Opening Ceremony is July 14, 2028 with competition through July 30, 2028. The LA28 Paralympic Games will kick off Aug. 15, 2028 and close Aug. 27, 2028. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will host the Opening and Closing Ceremony in a dual-venue celebration. Applications open Tuesday for 2028 Olympics and Paralympics Games-time volunteers, who will be matched with a variety of roles.Volunteer roles will include welcoming guests, guiding athletes, providing medical and translation services, helping with venue operations and more.

The 2028 Olympics are two years away, but a golden opportunity arrives Tuesday for anyone who wants to join the team of volunteers that will be a crucial part of the international event featuring more than 50 sports at dozens of venues when the competition returns to Los Angeles for a third time.

Applications open Tuesday for 2028 Olympics and Paralympics Games-time volunteers, who will be matched with a variety of roles in the categories of communications, driving, experience, medical, ceremonies, operations, sport and technology. Applications opened earlier for community volunteer roles.

Members of the LA28 Volunteer Crew will be on the Olympics stage, assigned to roles like welcoming guests, guiding athletes, providing medical and translation services, helping with venue operations and more.

About 60,000 volunteers will be part of the effort.

Here’s what to know about applying to become a Games-time volunteer.

How to apply for LA 2028 volunteer roles

The Games-time volunteer portal, which will open Tuesday, is the first hurdle to clear.

After filling out the application, candidates will be selected from the initial application pool and invited to the Volunteer Experience Center in Los Angeles for an in-person assessment. Virtual assessments are available for people who do not live in the Los Angeles area. Applicants will be notified with an email if they’re accepted and receive an offer the portal.

The portal will allow applicants to indicate their top-three preferred role categories — communications, driving, experience, medical, ceremonies, operations, sport, technology. No guarantees, but LA28 will try to match volunteers with those choices.

Anyone who registered to volunteer with LA28 before as a community volunteer must apply again for Games-time positions.

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LA28 volunteer requirements

Applying to be part of the LA28 Volunteer Crew comes with a few requirements, including a minimum number of volunteer shifts.

Be 18 years or older at the time of your application

Be proficient in English (reading and writing)

Be available for a minimum of 10 non-consecutive shifts (of approximately eight hours each) during the 2028 Olympic Games period (March–August 2028) or Paralympic Games period (August–September 2028)

Be present at one of the following locations during the 2028 Olympic or Paralympic Games periods. Greater Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, New York City, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San José, San Diego

The program is unpaid and expenses like travel and lodging are not covered.

U.S. citizenship and California residency are not required.

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Minimum time commitment

A few more details on that minimum time commitment of 10 non-consecutive shifts, which will last about eight hours apiece. The 10-shift requirement is for either the Olympics or Paralympics. So, if you’re interested in volunteering for both events, that’s 10 shifts each.

LA28 volunteer role locations

Most of the volunteer opportunities are in the Los Angeles area, but not all 2028 events are in Southern California. Opportunities will be available in Oklahoma City, New York, Columbus, Nashville, St Louis, San José and San Diego.

What about training?

Just like a top-level athlete, training is part of achieving success as a volunteer. The process includes a comprehensive training program specific to each role and venue.

Volunteers sought with specialized skills and training

LA28 also is seeking volunteers whose skillsets align with doping control, driving, emergency response, language proficiency, medical and security. The portal application process will include an opportunity to highlight those skills.

Images: See venues planned for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

When are the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?

The Olympics will return to Los Angeles for an historic third time in 2028.

The LA 2028 Olympics Opening Ceremony is July 14, 2028 with competition through July 30, 2028. The LA28 Paralympic Games will kick off Aug. 15, 2028 and close Aug. 27, 2028. 

The organizing committee has released a first look at the competition schedule. Field hockey, basketball, rugby sevens, water polo, handball and cricket will be the first sports to kick off the competition on July 12, two days before the Opening Ceremony.

The first full date of competition, designated Day 1, is July 15. The order of events includes a twist for 2028 with track and field and swimming swapping their typical schedules. Track and field will compete at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the first week of the Olympics schedule with swimming moving to the second week at SoFi Stadium.

The marathons will still be on the final weekend.

The first medal will be awarded in triathlon on Day 1 in Venice Beach. July 29, or Day 15, will be the busiest day on the podium with 16 gold and bronze events in team sports and 19 individual medal events.

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will host the opening ceremony in a duel-venue celebration. The Paralympic opening ceremony will be at SoFi Stadium with the closing ceremony at the Coliseum.

New for the 2028 Olympics

The program approved for 2028 has 22 more medal events than Paris 2024 at 351.

Mixed team events added for 2028 include artistic gymnastics, athletics (4×100 mixed gender relay), golf, archery (compound bow), coastal rowing beach sprint and table tennis. The competition format for the new artistic gymnastic mixed team event will be finalized and announced at a later date.

The medal competition includes expansions to the field of women’s soccer and water polo event, a new women’s boxing weight class, an expanded 3×3 basketball field, and more medal events in swimming and sport climbing.

Flag football will make its Olympic debut in 2028 and lacrosse will return to the lineup of medal sports for the first time in more than a century. Baseball and softball will make their Olympic comeback, and cricket also will be part of the lineup.

See the full list of medal events here.