The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will debut 22 new medal events and prioritize gender balance, marking a historic shift in the Games’ programming. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the approval of LA28’s event lineup on Wednesday, highlighting a total of 351 medal events and an athlete quota of 10,500—698 of which are reserved for newly added or expanded sports like cricket, squash, and flag football.
Historic Gender Parity Achieved
For the first time, all Olympic team sports will feature an equal number of women’s and men’s teams. Female athletes will make up 50.7% of the initial quota (5,333 participants), edging slightly ahead of male athletes (5,167). Mixed-gender events in archery, table tennis, and swimming’s 50m backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke races will further spotlight inclusivity.
New Sports and Expanded Events
Rowing introduces coastal beach sprints with women’s solo (CW1x) and men’s solo (CM1x) competitions, while basketball 3×3 doubles team participation to 12 per gender. Sport climbing splits boulder and lead disciplines into separate medal events, offering athletes more opportunities to compete. The IOC’s decision follows requests from 24 international federations for event changes, with 40 net new events approved.
Next Steps and Global Impact
Boxing’s inclusion in LA28 remains pending final approval in March 2025. With these updates, LA28 aims to reflect evolving athletic trends while strengthening the Olympics’ role in promoting equality and innovation. Analysts predict heightened global interest, particularly from Asia, where cricket’s addition may draw millions of viewers from India and neighboring regions.
