The 2026 Winter Games are wrapping up this Sunday after a dramatic men’s ice hockey final in which Team USA beat Canada in overtime for gold. Attention now turns to the Closing Ceremony and the formal handoff to upcoming editions of the Olympics: the Summer Games in 2028 and the next Winter Games in 2030. The 2028 Summer Olympics will be centered in Los Angeles with multiple events staged around the United States, while the 2030 Winter Olympics are planned for the French Alps, spanning Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with ice competitions in Nice. Below we explain where, when and why the next Olympics will take place and what that means for hosts, athletes and fans.
Key Takeaways
- The 2028 Summer Olympics are scheduled for Los Angeles, with core competition in the city and select events across other U.S. cities, including preliminary soccer matches in New York City, Columbus, OH, and St. Louis, MO.
- Oklahoma is slated to host both the softball tournament and the canoe slalom during the 2028 Games.
- The IOC’s 1994 schedule change separated Summer and Winter Games so the Olympics occur every two years overall; Lillehammer hosted the 1994 Winter Games and Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Games.
- The United States last hosted the Olympics at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City and the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta; Los Angeles will host the Summer Games for a third time in 2028 (previously 1932 and 1984).
- The next Winter Olympics will be held in 2030 in the French Alps, with major events across Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and ice events planned for Nice.
- France has previously hosted Winter Olympics in Chamonix (1924), Grenoble (1968) and Albertville (1992), making 2030 the country’s fourth time as Winter host.
Background
The modern Olympic calendar changed in 1994 when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) moved the Winter Games two years away from the Summer Games, producing an every-two-years cadence between Summer and Winter editions. Before that, Summer and Winter editions fell in the same year every four years. The change was intended to increase the visibility of both events and improve broadcast and sponsorship cycles.
Los Angeles was selected to host the 2028 Summer Olympics as part of a bidding and planning process that emphasized existing venues and regional spread; organizers have said they will use venues across California and partner with other U.S. cities to stage team sports preliminaries and select tournaments. The U.S. has hosted multiple Olympics before: Summer Games in 1932 and 1984 in Los Angeles and in 1996 in Atlanta, and Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002.
After a period of shifting host interest and evolving bids, France emerged as the winning site for the 2030 Winter Olympics with a geographically distributed concept across the French Alps. The plan harnesses mountain infrastructure in two administrative regions and preserves Nice for ice competitions, aiming to link alpine and coastal facilities for a wider footprint.
Main Event
The 2026 Winter Olympics closing marks the immediate transition point for the Olympic movement toward its next hosts. On the heels of Team USA’s overtime victory against Canada in men’s ice hockey, attention quickly pivoted to the Closing Ceremony rituals and the symbolic handover to the cities and regions preparing for 2028 and 2030.
Los Angeles organizers are finalizing venue allocations that combine long-standing Los Angeles sites with other U.S. cities to relieve congestion, distribute spectatorship and leverage existing stadiums and arenas. Preliminary and team-sport matches—especially in soccer—are planned for cities beyond California to reach broader U.S. audiences and use suitable stadia with proven hosting capacity.
The French plan for 2030 outlines a multi-region approach: alpine venues across Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will serve ski, snowboard and mountain events, while Nice is scheduled to host ice sports. Event organizers emphasize legacy use of upgraded lifts, competition infrastructure and urban venues designed to benefit local economies and tourism after the Games.
Analysis & Implications
Hosting the Olympics carries short-term economic stimulus and long-term infrastructure commitments. For Los Angeles, the emphasis on leveraging existing venues reduces construction risk and capital expenditure compared with a greenfield approach. Spreading events across multiple U.S. cities also shares costs and potential benefits, but it complicates logistics for teams, media and fans who may wish to follow several events.
For the French Alps, staging 2030 across two administrative regions and using Nice for ice events aims to balance mountain and coastal tourism benefits. That geographic diversity can broaden tourism appeal but raises operational complexity: transport networks, accommodation capacity and regional coordination will be tested, especially during peak alpine conditions.
Politically and diplomatically, both hosts face scrutiny over cost controls, sustainability promises and local support. Past Games have left mixed legacies; Los Angeles points to prior host experience and private investment to limit public burden, while French organizers highlight regional development and environmental mitigation plans for sensitive mountain ecosystems.
For athletes and federations, the staggered calendar ensures a steady global competition rhythm: a Summer Games in 2028 and Winter Games in 2030 mean major events appear regularly in the Olympic cycle, affecting long-term training, qualification schedules and commercial cycles for federations and sponsors.
Comparison & Data
| Year | Type | Host |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Winter | Chamonix, France |
| 1968 | Winter | Grenoble, France |
| 1992 | Winter | Albertville, France |
| 2002 | Winter | Salt Lake City, USA |
| 2028 | Summer | Los Angeles, USA |
| 2030 | Winter | French Alps (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur & Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) |
The table above places the upcoming hosts in historic context. France’s selection for 2030 will mark its fourth time hosting Winter Games; Los Angeles becomes a three-time Summer host in 2028. When compared with eras of heavy venue construction—mid 20th century to early 2000s—the current emphasis is on reuse, regional spread and sustainability.
Reactions & Quotes
Organizers and stakeholders offered immediate, succinct responses to the handovers and future plans.
LA organizers described plans to “use existing stadiums and partner cities to spread events and audiences across the United States,” underlining an emphasis on legacy and cost control.
LA28 (organizing committee)
French regional officials framed the 2030 approach as an opportunity to “showcase both alpine mountains and coastal venues,” highlighting Nice as the heart of ice competitions.
French 2030 Organizing Group
Fans and athletes called the 2026 men’s hockey final an unforgettable moment and said it renewed excitement for future Games.
Mixed public reaction (athletes/fans)
Unconfirmed
- Exact venue lineups in some U.S. host cities for 2028—beyond announced preliminaries—remain subject to final agreement and could change pending logistics and local approvals.
- Final detailed schedules and transport plans for the 2030 French venues, including precise mountain cluster assignments and accommodation strategies, are still being finalized and may shift as planning continues.
Bottom Line
The immediate takeaway is straightforward: the next Summer Olympics will be in Los Angeles in 2028, with several events distributed across the United States, and the next Winter Olympics will be held in the French Alps in 2030, spanning Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes with ice events in Nice. Both hosts emphasize legacy, reuse of venues and regional benefits, reflecting a cautious, distributed model of Olympic hosting.
For athletes, federations and fans, the staggered Olympic calendar ensures major events arrive on a regular cadence, shaping preparation and commercial cycles. For host communities, the challenges will be practical—transport, accommodation and cost control—while opportunities will center on tourism, infrastructure upgrades and international exposure.
Sources
- SB Nation (media) — original reporting on 2026 close and 2028/2030 destinations.
- LA28 (organizing committee) — official information on Los Angeles 2028 venues and planning.
- International Olympic Committee / Olympics (official) — background on Olympic calendar and host city announcements.