Orlando has won its bid to host a portion of the qualifying series for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Games, the International Olympics Committee announced Thursday, joining three other cities around the world in a multi-sport showcase that will determine the last wave of athletes to earn their spots.
The City Beautiful will host the final, four-day segment of the series in spring 2028 at Camping World Stadium, preceded by Tokyo, Shanghai and Montreal. The sports involved are 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball, BMX freestyle, climbing, flag football and skateboarding, although it has not yet been announced which events will take place in each city.
“Orlando is an Olympic city,” exclaimed Jason Siegel, president and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, at a tourism event at the Orange County Convention Center where the IOC decision was announced locally. Siegel said Orlando learned Wednesday that it had been chosen.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said the announcement is further proof of Orlando’s ascending place on the North American sports map. “In spite of what’s happening with the geo-political issues in America and the world, we’re continuing to thrive,” he said.
To bolster the local bid, Orange County in March authorized $15 million in tourist-tax dollars for the Olympic qualifying competitions to pay for venue staffing, event security, public safety and other costs related to hosting the events.
The series will begin in Tokyo on May 4-7, moving to Shanghai May 11-14, Montreal June 1-4, and culminating in Orlando June 8-11.
“It takes a village to get here together. We will share a bold vision to showcase our community as a premier global destination, while supporting the continued growth of the Olympic sport and inspiring the next generation of athletes and fans,” said Siegel, whose group prepared Orlando’s bid to be a host.
Orlando’s Olympic qualifying events will be centered around the campus of Camping World Stadium, which is undergoing a $400 million renovation to improve fan experiences. Siegel said 600 athletes representing more than 150 nations will seek to earn a spot in Los Angeles through the qualifying, and more than 100 will go on to the Olympics.
It will be the area’s second time serving as part of the runup to the Olympics. In 2024, the city hosted the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, drawing more than 100,000 spectators downtown as six runners punched their tickets to Paris.
Thursday’s announcement accompanied an annual report on the state of the tourism industry in Central Florida, indicating that a record 76.7 million people visited the Orlando area in 2025. That “translates into economic vitality for our community,” Demings said.
Orange County has also offered $20 million to host an NBA All-Star Week in 2029 or 2030. A decision on that bid has not yet been announced.
In addition, Orange County commissioners last year promised $10 million in tourist-tax revenue to sweeten what became Orlando’s successful bid for the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars to play their 2027 home schedule at Camping World Stadium while the team’s usual venue, Everbank Stadium, undergoes a billion dollar makeover.
Launched by the International Olympic Committee in 2024, the Olympic Qualifier Series marked the first time Olympic qualification events were staged in a fully Olympic-branded environment, elevating athlete visibility while creating a festival atmosphere blending sport, culture and youth engagement.
Its debut featured two global stops in Shanghai and Budapest, drawing more than 100,000 spectators and athletes from 55 nations competing in BMX freestyle, breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing. A total of 158 athletes secured Olympic qualification through the series just weeks before the Paris Games.