Almost three years from now, the Olympic flame will be set alight in Los Angeles, with the Olympics scheduled to be held from July 14 to July 30, 2028. On Monday, the schedule for LA 2028 was published, with cricket making its historic return. The second Sunday of the Olympics is usually considered the hottest, with several medal events including the men’s 100m final in athletics, the men’s singles final in tennis, and swimming finals. However, things will be different this time. One of the biggest changes in the LA 2028 schedule is the swap between athletics and swimming. The schedule has changed for sports like archery and tennis as well, and LA 28 offers fresh opportunities and new challenges.
But before we have a look at the complete schedule, let’s try to understand the Olympic day(s) structure.
The Games follow a structured day system, starting before the official Opening Ceremony:
• Day (-2) → July 12, 2028
• Day (-1)→ July13, 2028
• Day 0 → July 14, 2028 (Opening Ceremony)
• Day 1 → July 15, 2028 (Full competition begins)
• Day 16 → July 30, 2028 (Closing Ceremony)
Here’s an India-focused look at the competition calendar — with what’s changed.
First look of LA 28 schedule ( PC – X)
Athletics sprints early
In a historic shift, athletics will now take place in the first week instead of the second. The venue for the athletics events will be the historic LA Memorial Coliseum which will host the ceremonies as well. Athletics in the first week can benefit Indian fans as top events like javelin throw, long jump, and relay races come into early focus. With Neeraj Chopra likely leading the charge, this early scheduling offers a chance for India to build momentum from the very start.
• Dates: July 15–24 (Day 1 to Day 10)
• Venue: LA Memorial Coliseum
• Marathon: July 30 (Day 16)
Cricket takes guard early
Cricket, last played at the Olympics in 1900, makes its return at LA 28 in the T20 format with separate men’s and women’s tournaments. Both Indian men’s and women’s teams will be expected to be strong contenders for medals.
• Starts: July 12 (Day -2)
• Medal Matches:
• Women’s final (likely): July 20 (Day 6)
• Men’s final: July 29 (Day 15)
• No Matches: July 14 and 21
• Venue: Pomona Fairgrounds (approx. 50 km from central Los Angeles)
• Match Timings: 9:00 AM & 6:30 PM LA time (9:30 PM IST & 7:00 AM IST the next day)
Archery starts late
Archery, which traditionally begins from Day -1, will now begin on Day 6 — allowing more prep time for athletes. India has never won a medal in archery at the Olympics. However, with the addition of compound mixed-doubles events, there is hope.
• Dates: July 20–28 (Day 6 to Day 14)
• First Medal Match (likely): July 21 — Compound Mixed Doubles
• Recurve Events: Follow later
Tennis aces from Day 5 (July 19) — A Rare Shift
Another notable change is that tennis, which usually starts on Day 1, will now begin on July 19 (Day 5). The Men’s singles final, the marquee event of tennis at Olympics, will not collide with the men’s 100m final in athletics and other swimming finals.
• First Medal Match: July 20 (likely Mixed Doubles)
• Finals: July 27, 28
Boxing punches from day 1
No changes in schedule. Just like Paris 2024, Boxing at LA 2028 will be held across two phases and two arenas. In Paris, the medal rounds were fought at Roland Garros.
• Preliminary Rounds: July 15–23 (Day 1 to Day 9) at Peacock Theater
• Rest days: July 24-26
• Medal Rounds: July 27–30 (Day 13 to Day 16) at DTLA Arena
Wrestling and Judo at the same venue
India has won at least a medal in wrestling since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. LA Convention Center Hall No.2 will be the same venue for both wrestling and judo.
• Judo: July 15–22 (Day 1 to Day 8)
• Wrestling: July 24–30 (Day 10 to Day 16)
Hockey – Early drag-flicks.
Hockey will begin early this time as it will start from Day -2 on July 12. This makes hockey one of the few sports to start before the Olympics are officially open. India’s men’s team is the only one that finished on the podium in both Tokyo and Paris.
• Starts: July 12 (Day -2)
• Medal Matches: Women: July 28, Men: July 29
Shooting: No changes, Early Medal Prospects
Shooting will start from the first day, raising India’s medal hopes after winning 3 medals at the Paris Games.
• Starts: July 15 (Day 1)
• Medal events begin right from Day 1
• Venue: Long Beach Target Shooting Hall (Pistol and Rifle), Whittier Narrows Clay Shooting Center (Shotgun)
Badminton: No changes
There are no major changes in the badminton schedule. It was a disappointing performance by Indian shuttlers at Paris 2024 as they returned empty handed.
• Starts: July 15 (Day 1)
• Medal events: July 21 – July 24
Table Tennis action begins Day 1
Table Tennis at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics is set for its biggest edition yet, featuring six medal events for the first time. The competition will take place from July 15 to July 29 at LA Convention Hall 3 in the DLTA Zone, starting a day after the opening ceremony.
• Men’s Singles
• Women’s Singles
• Men’s Doubles (returning to the program)
• Women’s Doubles (returning to the program)
• Mixed Doubles
• Mixed Team (a new event, making its Olympic debut)
Weightlifting: Barbells drop in Week 2
Weightlifting at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will follow an almost similar schedule to Paris 2024, taking place in the second week of the Games.
At the Tokyo Olympics, the events started early and gave India a glittering start with Mirabai Chanu’s silver on Day 1. Paris 2024 brought no such joy.
• Starts: July 25
• Venue: Peacock Theater
• Medal Events: July 25-29
Squash makes its debut
Squash is one of the five new sports along with cricket, flag football, lacrosse and baseball/softball included at LA 2028.
Universal Squash City Center at Universal studios will be the venue for squash, which will feature two events, the men’s and women’s singles.
• Starts: July 15 (Day 1)
• Medal events: July 24
No major changes for other sports
Overall, the changes in the schedule at the Olympics will be interesting to watch. With swimming scheduled in the second week, July 29 (day 15) of competition will go down as one of the most memorable days in Olympic history with medals in 23 sports up for grabs.
Note: This competition schedule is subject to change until the conclusion of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
