Organisers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics have unveiled a significant expansion of the soccer tournament footprint, confirming that six Major League Soccer venues across the United States will host matches for both the men's and women's competitions.
Nationwide Venue Strategy for Olympic Soccer
In a move designed to broaden the geographic reach of the Games, LA28 announced on Tuesday that group stage and knockout games will be staged in New York, Columbus, Nashville, St Louis, San Jose, and San Diego. This strategic decision marks a departure from concentrating events solely in southern California, instead creating a truly national tournament experience.
MLS Stadiums Selected for Olympic Duty
The selected venues are all home grounds for MLS franchises, ranging from newly constructed facilities to established soccer-specific stadiums. The lineup includes the under-construction Etihad Park in Queens, New York, scheduled for completion in 2027, alongside Scott's Miracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Geodis Park in Nashville, Energizer Park in St Louis, PayPal Park in San Jose, and Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
Capacity varies considerably across these venues, with Snapdragon Stadium being the largest at 35,000 seats, while PayPal Park is the most intimate setting with an 18,000-seat capacity. This diversity in scale allows for different match atmospheres and audience sizes throughout the tournament.
Gold Medal Games Confirmed for Historic Rose Bowl
While group matches will spread across the country, the pinnacle events have been firmly anchored in California. The men's and women's gold medal games will both be held at the iconic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, a venue with rich soccer history. The men's final is scheduled for 28 July 2028, followed immediately by the women's final on 29 July.
Tournament Design Focused on Athlete Welfare
LA28 has carefully designed the competition schedule to stage matches concurrently from coast to coast. This innovative approach aims to minimise extensive travel for teams while maximising rest periods between games, directly supporting athlete welfare and performance standards.
Simultaneously, this structure offers football fans across America a more geographically inclusive Olympic experience, allowing spectators in multiple regions to attend live matches without needing to travel to Los Angeles.
Historic Gender Parity in Olympic Soccer
The 2028 tournament will mark a significant milestone in Olympic soccer history, featuring more women's teams than men's for the first time. Sixteen women's national teams will compete alongside twelve men's teams, reflecting LA28's commitment to gender equality across all team sports at the Games.
Organisers have stated their ambition to set a new benchmark, making Los Angeles 2028 the first Olympics where every team sport features at least as many women's teams as men's, signalling a progressive shift in international sporting events.
Future Announcements and Ticket Information
A comprehensive match schedule detailing dates and specific locations for every game in both tournaments will be released before tickets go on sale in April. This forthcoming announcement will provide clarity for teams, supporters, and host cities preparing for the world's premier sporting event.
The strategic use of MLS venues nationwide represents a modern approach to Olympic hosting, leveraging existing soccer infrastructure while creating a truly national celebration of the beautiful game ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
