Now that the Paris 2024 Olympics are officially in the books, the focus shifts to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. With that comes the addition of a few new sporting events, as well as some that are returning after an absence in the 2024 Summer Games.
Paris made waves by introducing sports like breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing to the Olympics. LA is set to continue that trend, hosting its own lineup of new and returning events on the world’s stage.
Here’s a look at six emerging — and reemerging — sports set to get the Hollywood treatment in 2028.
1. Flag football
It’s our turn to light up the LA28 Olympic Games. #NextUpLA28 pic.twitter.com/PEgQOqpmUx
— NFL (@NFL) August 5, 2024
NFL and CFL stars will finally get to partake in the Olympics as football makes its debut at the LA Games. However, there’s a bit of a twist.
The event will be a non-tackling variant of American football in which players wear flags on belts and use minimal equipment. Instead of tackling, defenders grab flags to stop plays. The game is played on a 50-yard by 25-yard field with two 10-yard end zones and features a five-on-five format.
2. Softball
Softball was introduced to the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 and remained in the mix until being dropped after the Beijing 2008 Games. It made a return in Tokyo 2020 but was completely absent from Paris.
For Los Angeles 2028, it will be an optional sport, though games will be held in Oklahoma City, not LA.
3. Baseball
Baseball first debuted at the 1900 Olympics in Paris. It has been removed and reinstated from the Olympics on multiple occasions.
The sport, deemed America’s national pastime, was last featured in the Olympics in Beijing 2008 before being dropped from the program. It made a return at Tokyo 2020 but was not included in Paris.
Nothing sweeter than gold on home soil 🇯🇵🥇
Japan has won its first-ever gold medal in baseball ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/ONdOvZGWcY
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 7, 2021
With baseball back in the Olympic mix, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred recently said that he is “open” to the participation of major leaguers.
4. Lacrosse
Lacrosse up next. @Olympics pic.twitter.com/FsmwFqr1eO
— Paul Rabil (@PaulRabil) August 2, 2024
As North America’s oldest sport, field lacrosse has been part of the Olympics in the past, with appearances in St. Louis in 1904 and London in 1908. It also appeared as a demonstration sport in Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932, and London in 1948.
For the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, both men’s and women’s lacrosse players will partake in World Lacrosse Sixes, a faster-paced version of the traditional game.
5. Squash
Four years to go until @Olympics squash 🙌 pic.twitter.com/l0cvdMi9Q3
— World Squash (WSF) (@WorldSquash) August 12, 2024
The second event being introduced to the Games for the first time ever in LA is squash.
Although it was a demonstration sport at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, the indoor racket sport has never before been given the Olympic treatment.
According to the World Squash Federation, Egypt, England, Australia, and Pakistan are the top performers in the sport.
6. Cricket
Cricket made its first and only Olympic appearance at the 1900 Summer Games with a men’s match between only two teams when Great Britain defeated France. Fans have been eagerly awaiting its return ever since.
In 2021, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced efforts to push for cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Summer Olympics. This past fall, LA’s organizing committee confirmed the sport’s presence at the 2028 Games.
That means cricket will make a long-awaited return to the Olympics in LA, with both men’s and women’s Twenty20 tournaments on the schedule.