Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: Cricket's Return, Hollywood Touch - What To Expect

Just over two weeks after it officially opened, the Paris Olympics ended on Sunday, July 11. The sporting action ended with the United States inching past China in the medals tally with a gold in women's basketball, the last event of the 2024 Games. A grand closing ceremony marked the end of the Paris Olympics. (Full Coverage | Medal Table | Schedule & Results)

The flame in the French capital has been extinguished and the Olympic flag handed over to Los Angeles, signalling the transition for the next edition of the Summer Games.

Interestingly, this is not the first time something this big is being handed over by France to the United States. Famously, the 'Statue of Liberty' was gifted by France to America. The statue has become one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Will the Olympics in the city too touch these glorious heights?

There are still four years for the Los Angeles Olympics to begin but the excitement is already high for the event. With the Paris 2024 Games behind us, here is what to expect from LA28.

Dates

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 14, 2028 to July 30, 2028. Since Paris and Los Angeles were the only two countries to bid for the 2024 edition, the latter was awarded the 2028 Games while the French capital has just finished hosting this edition.

Legacy

Los Angeles will become the first city outside of Europe to host the Olympics three times. Only London and Paris have had this honour so far.

LA has previously hosted the Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984. Although, both of them had restricted participation due to different reasons.

The 1932 Games took place in the shadow of the Great Depression and many countries could not travel. This was the first time an Olympic village was put up which later became the model for host cities. 1932 also marked the debut of podiums at the Olympics, which have with time become a big part of the Games.

1984 also saw limited participation as Eastern Bloc countries led by the Soviet Union boycotted the Games. Despite this, the 1984 Olympics are widely regarded as the most financially successful edition. The Games earned a profit of over $200mn.

Hollywood touch

Los Angeles is the home of Hollywood and the organisers will surely leverage their location to add some star touch to the Games. Nobody mixes sports and entertainment better than the Americans and the 2028 Games will again give a chance to showcase the same.

The organisers have already indicated this.

"We don't have an Eiffel Tower. We do have a Hollywood sign," said the chairperson of the LA28 Games Cassey Wasserman.

USA vs China

If not for the last gasp win in the final of the women's basketball, the last event at the Paris Olympics, the United States would have been second on the medal tally behind China.

China has continuously challenged USA at the Olympics, since the dragon nation rose on the global stage. In fact, Paris 2024 would not have been the first time the Chinese would have pipped USA for the top spot in the medals tally. In Beijing in 2008, China comfortably beat USA by winning 48 gold medals, 12 more than the United States.

However, at home, Team United States will be the favourites to not just top the tally but leave others way behind.

Cricket

The most looked forward to thing for the LA28 Games for the sub-continent fans is the return of cricket to the Olympics. After a good 128 years after its debut, cricket will again be an Olympic sport and one thing you can guarantee is a massive amount of eyeballs, especially from sub-continent, to the Los Angeles Olympics.

Lacrosse and baseball/softball will also return.

Debutants

Flag football and squash will be the two debutants in Los Angeles. Squash will finally found its way into the Olympics after years of convincing the International Olympic Committee.

Both sports are considered optional at this point and may not continue at the 2032 Brisbane Games. Skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing will be part of LA28 and have been promoted to core sports.

Who Is Out?

Breaking, which made its debut in Paris, will not be a part of the Los Angeles Games. Three other games were on the radar of going out: boxing, weightlifting and modern pentathlon. However, weightlifting and modern pentathlon have now been included in the sports programme. The decision on boxing is pending.

Concerns

The major concerns for LA28, just like the other Summer Games in the recent times, is effect on environment and security. Some Los Angeles specific concerns are traffic and the homelessness in the city.

The organisers promised to make the LA28 a "no-car Olympics", meaning cars will not be used to get to the Olympic venues. This will force people to take public transports to get the stadiums.