Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics announced on Tuesday that six U.S. cities will host group-stage soccer matches as part of the Games. New York City, Columbus (Ohio), Nashville (Tennessee), St. Louis (Missouri), San Diego and San Jose (California) were selected for group play, while knockout and medal matches remain slated for the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. LA2028 chief executive Reynold Hoover told International Olympic Committee members the competition will be staged in “premier existing Major League Soccer stadiums.” The decision spreads Olympic soccer beyond Los Angeles to multiple American markets four years before the Opening Ceremony.
Key takeaways
- Six U.S. cities—New York City, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Diego and San Jose—were named hosts for group-stage soccer at the 2028 LA Olympics.
- The Rose Bowl in Pasadena has previously been confirmed to host knockout and medal matches for the tournament.
- LA2028 officials said matches will be played in existing Major League Soccer venues, avoiding major new stadium construction.
- The announcement was made to International Olympic Committee members during meetings in Milan on Tuesday.
- Distributing group matches across these cities aims to broaden U.S. fan access and leverage established local infrastructure.
- Specific stadium allocations, match schedules and ticketing details for each city have not yet been released.
Background
Staging Olympic soccer across multiple cities is a recurring practice intended to use large, established venues and to spread economic and cultural benefits beyond the main host city. In previous editions of the Summer Games, soccer tournaments have frequently been held in several municipalities to accommodate capacity needs and regional fan bases. For Los Angeles 2028, organizers prioritized existing professional soccer facilities—mainly Major League Soccer stadiums—to reduce the need for new building projects and to accelerate operational planning.
The selection of six U.S. cities reflects both logistical considerations and market reach. Each named city has a significant soccer footprint, with local clubs, fan communities and transportation networks that can support international matches. Stakeholders include LA2028 organizers, the International Olympic Committee, local governments and stadium operators, all of whom will coordinate on security, transport and broadcast arrangements in the run-up to 2028. The Rose Bowl, a long-established large-capacity venue in Pasadena, will host the tournament’s decisive knockout and medal games.
Main event
LA2028 officials formally informed IOC members in Milan on Tuesday that group-stage matches will be allocated to the six U.S. cities. The announcement emphasized reliance on “premier existing Major League Soccer stadiums,” a phrase LA2028 chief executive Reynold Hoover used when presenting the plan to delegates. Organizers framed the approach as a way to deliver high-quality venues while minimizing new construction and capital cost exposure for the Games.
New York City and the five other cities will receive group-stage fixtures, enabling local fans to see Olympic soccer without traveling to Los Angeles. Pasadena’s Rose Bowl had already been identified for later-stage matches; that venue’s large capacity and tournament history made it a natural pick for knockout rounds. LA2028 noted that detailed venue assignments, match calendars and operational duties will be finalized in coming planning phases.
Logistics remain a central focus: distributing matches across time zones and metropolitan areas requires coordination of team travel, training sites and broadcast schedules. Local organizing committees and stadium operators will need to align on security plans, ticketing protocols and fan transportation. LA2028’s emphasis on existing MLS venues suggests those operators will play key roles in venue readiness and matchday operations.
Analysis & implications
Using established MLS stadiums for Olympic soccer reduces the risk and cost associated with building new facilities, a politically sensitive topic for host cities. This approach can accelerate delivery timelines because many of the venues already meet international standards for pitch quality, seating, and broadcast infrastructure. It also offers MLS clubs and their cities a high-profile showcase that could increase local interest in the professional game and boost fan engagement ahead of 2028.
Economically, scattering group-stage matches across multiple metropolitan areas spreads visitor spending—hotels, restaurants and retail—beyond Los Angeles, providing measurable upside to local economies. However, the gains will depend on precise scheduling, match quality and the ability of local transport systems to handle event-day surges. Cities with experience hosting large sporting events will have an advantage; smaller markets will need targeted investment in operations to capture expected benefits.
From a sporting and operational standpoint, the arrangement raises challenges as well as opportunities. Team travel and recovery windows must be managed carefully to preserve competitive integrity, and broadcast partners will need to coordinate airtime across different U.S. time zones. On the positive side, playing in soccer-specific MLS venues usually means better sightlines and fan experiences compared with multi-purpose stadiums, which could enhance attendance and viewership metrics for Olympic soccer in 2028.
Comparison & data
| City | Role |
|---|---|
| New York City | Group-stage host |
| Columbus, Ohio | Group-stage host |
| Nashville, Tennessee | Group-stage host |
| St. Louis, Missouri | Group-stage host |
| San Diego, California | Group-stage host |
| San Jose, California | Group-stage host |
| Pasadena (Rose Bowl) | Knockout & medal matches |
Spreading matches across multiple cities is consistent with prior Olympic soccer tournaments, where organizers balanced venue capacity and regional access. The decision to use existing MLS venues reduces capital expenditure and shortens lead times for venue preparedness. Precise attendance, economic impact and broadcast figures will depend on match scheduling, ticket pricing and team draws, all to be determined in later planning stages.
Reactions & quotes
Organizers framed the move as pragmatic and fan-focused, highlighting the benefits of working with established stadium operators and local partners. Local officials and sports stakeholders are expected to coordinate permitting, transportation and security planning as details are finalized.
“The Games will be played in premier existing Major League Soccer stadiums.”
Reynold Hoover, LA2028 chief executive (statement to IOC members)
Public and stakeholder reactions are likely to range from enthusiasm over hosting world-class matches to scrutiny about logistics and community impacts. LA2028 and municipal partners will be monitored for how they address ticketing fairness, public transport capacity and neighborhood disruption as planning advances.
Unconfirmed
- Exact stadium assignments within each named city have not yet been announced and remain to be confirmed by LA2028.
- Specific match dates, team allocations and ticketing policies for group-stage fixtures have not been released.
- Details on local operational responsibilities—security, transport plans and training sites—are still under negotiation among stakeholders.
Bottom line
The decision to stage group-stage Olympic soccer in New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Diego and San Jose—while holding knockout and medal matches at the Rose Bowl—reflects LA2028’s strategy to use existing high-quality venues and broaden the tournament’s U.S. footprint. Relying on Major League Soccer stadiums reduces the need for new construction and can enhance fan experience, but it shifts emphasis to detailed operational coordination across multiple jurisdictions.
Key next steps for observers are to watch for formal stadium assignments, match schedules and ticketing plans. Those details will determine how much economic benefit host cities realize and how smoothly teams, fans and broadcasters will navigate the logistics of a multi-city Olympic soccer tournament in 2028.