Los Angeles Launches Ticket Lottery for the 2028 Olympics with Prices Starting at $28

Sports enthusiasts will soon have the opportunity to register for a chance to secure tickets to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, starting this Wednesday. The ticket prices will begin at an affordable $28 (£20.80).

The registration process will commence at 7:00 AM local time (15:00 GMT) and will provide fans a chance to enter a random lottery for tickets to all events scheduled during the Games. This registration will remain open until mid-March.

Those selected in the draw will receive an email notification and will be assigned a specific time slot in April to purchase their tickets. A total of one million tickets will be available at the price of $28, with approximately one-third priced below $100 (£74.41).

“These Games belong to everyone,” remarked Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA 2028, on Tuesday. “They must be affordable and inclusive.”

The announcement of reasonably priced tickets follows public backlash regarding ticket costs for the 2026 men’s football World Cup, which will also be jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Los Angeles officials emphasized that their ticket pricing strategy is centered around affordability and accessibility, aiming to allow sports fans worldwide to attend.

For comparison, tickets for the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris were priced starting at $27.95 (£20).

Early Purchase Opportunity

A special early purchase window will also be available for residents of Los Angeles and Oklahoma City, the latter of which will host some Olympic events.

This will mark the first occasion since 1996 that the Olympics will take place in the United States. Los Angeles has previously hosted the Games in 1932 and 1984, and plans to utilize its existing infrastructure for the upcoming event.

On Tuesday, event organizers, alongside numerous Olympians and Paralympians, gathered at the LA Memorial Coliseum to ceremoniously ignite the Olympic cauldron, heralding the start of ticket registration.

The Coliseum has a historic connection to the Olympics, having hosted events during both previous Los Angeles Games, and is set to co-host the opening ceremony and track and field events in 2028.

Ticketing Process Explained

At the Tuesday event, officials outlined how the ticketing process will function. Fans can register by providing their name, email address, and zip code to enter the lottery for time slots to purchase tickets in April.

The earlier a fan’s assigned time slot, the better their chances of securing tickets, as this does not guarantee availability once the time slot opens.

The first round of ticket sales will take place from April 9 to April 19, and tickets for both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games will be included in this offering.

While most events will occur in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas in Southern California, canoeing and softball competitions will be held in Oklahoma.

LA28 chief Allison Katz-Mayfield described the random ticket-drawing system as “the fairest way to ensure that the broadest number of people can get access to tickets, with no one having an advantage or disadvantage.”

“Regardless of when you enter, whether you are first or last, your chances remain equal,” she added.

Ticket registration will remain open until March 18, and there is no benefit to registering earlier.