After two weeks of unforgettable and historic athletic feats in Paris, the 2024 Summer Olympic Games have finally come to a close. For a fortnight, the momentum never ceased. It began with an innovative opening ceremony on the Seine River peppered with artful performances of dance and song, the most notable of which was Celine Dion’s shimmering return to the stage as she sang Edith Piaf’s "Hymne à l’amour.”
Another major comeback was that of legendary gymnast Simone Biles, who earned three gold medals and one silver — becoming the most decorated U.S. gymnast of all time in the process — after withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 over a bout of the “twisties.” Biles and the women’s gymnastics team’s efforts helped tally a final count of 126 medals for Team USA (with 67 of them coming from women!). The U.S. and China tied for most gold medals, with each country garnering 40 apiece.
While we’re sad that the Paris Olympics are over (what are we supposed to hyperfixate on now?) we’re already looking forward to the next iterations of the international sporting competition, which will take place in the Winter of 2026 and domestically in the Summer of 2028 in Los Angeles. Here’s what you can expect from the upcoming Olympic Games.
Winter Games 2026
The next Winter Olympics will commence less than two years from now in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, an idyllic ski resort in northern Italy. The dates for the 2026 Winter Games are Feb. 6-22, and the Winter Paralympic Games will be from March 6-15.
Situated on the Boite River, Cortina d’ Ampezzo is known for its ski trails situated amid the Dolomites mountain range (it’s notably referred to as the “Queen of the Dolomites”), and high-end dining and shopping. Cortina d'Ampezzo was also chosen to host the 1944 Winter Olympics, which were ultimately canceled because of World War II.
As noted by USA Today, the European location was selected in 2019, after a joint bid by the two Italian cities eked out a win in a bidding competition against Stockholm and Åre in Sweden. NBC reported that this was the first time in Games history that two cities have been granted the opportunity to co-host.
The opening ceremony will take place at San Siro Stadium, the home venue of soccer clubs AC Milan and Inter Milan. The closing ceremony will be held at Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheater in Verona.
Planned sports for the 2026 Winter Olympics include various forms of skiing (cross country, alpine, freestyle), ice hockey, figure skating, snowboarding, luge, curling, speed skating, bobsleigh and more. Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut.
Summer Games 2028
The countdown is officially on. Four years from now, the U.S. will host the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, marking the first time the Games will be held on home turf since 1996, when they took place in Atlanta, Georgia and the third time the California city will host the Summer Games (L.A. previously hosted in 1984 and 1932.) The L.A. Games will be held on July 14-30, with the Paralympics will take place on August 15-27.
Several new Olympic sports are set to enter the scene in 2028, with the International Olympic Committee approving the addition of baseball and softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash. Breaking — also known as break dancing — which made its inaugural appearance in Paris, will unfortunately not be making a return in L.A.
A number of sporting events will take place in nearby Californian cities. Carson will host track cycling, field hockey, rugby sevens, and tennis. Rowing, canoe sprint, handball, marathon swimming, triathlon, sailing, and artistic swimming, will all be held in Long Beach. Swimming will take place in SoFi Stadium. The University of Southern California is slated to host badminton, while the L.A. Convention Center will be the site of taekwondo, fencing, judo, table tennis and wrestling.
The organizing committee in 2022 stated that more than 15,000 athletes were expected to participate in the Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympics. "I have been really impressed by the progress and creativity of the LA28 team," IOC President Thomas Bach said at the time. "They are using the power of the Olympic Games to inspire young people to get involved in sport."
Regarding L.A.'s notorious traffic congestion, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass in a Saturday press release claimed that the 2028 Summer Games will be vehicle-free. “We’re already working to create jobs by expanding our public transportation system in order for us to have a no-car Games,” Bass said. “And that’s a feat for Los Angeles, as we’ve always been in love with our cars. We’re working to ensure that we can build a greener Los Angeles.”
The Associated Press reported that the city will borrow 3,000 buses from across the country and will ask businesses to allow their employees to work remotely in order to achieve an accessible setup for the Olympics.
To try your hand at obtaining tickets or volunteering for LA28, you can visit the organizing committee’s website for updates on future opportunities.
