LA28 Kicks Off Ticket Sales with Olympic Cauldron Lighting Ceremony

The Los Angeles Olympic organizers marked a significant milestone on January 13 by lighting the Olympic cauldron at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This event, attended by approximately 300 current and former Olympians and Paralympians, officially initiated the countdown to ticket sales for the 2028 Games. Starting from March 18, fans can register for a chance to purchase tickets, with sales commencing in April.

The cauldron lighting ceremony celebrated the Coliseum’s legacy, having previously hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1984. As the venue prepares for the Opening Ceremony and track and field events in 2028, the gathering of athletes was described as one of the largest outside of competition. LA28 Chair and President Casey Wasserman emphasized the importance of the occasion, stating, “This is a major milestone on the road to LA28.”

Ticket registration opens on March 18 at 07:00 local time (15:00 GMT). Fans will have the opportunity to register until the cutoff date, after which a random draw will assign time slots for purchasing tickets. According to Wasserman, tickets will start at $28, with a goal of offering at least one million tickets at this price point. Approximately one-third of available tickets will be priced under $100.

Excitement Builds for Ticket Sales

The initial ticket sales phase, referred to as Drop 1, will run from April 9 to April 19, 2028. Registrants will receive email notifications about their assigned time slots between March 31 and April 7. This phase will also include tickets for both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. A presale window will offer local residents in selected Southern California and Oklahoma counties the chance to purchase tickets from April 2-6. Paralympic tickets are expected to become available in 2027.

During the ceremony, Janet Evans, LA28 Chief Athlete Officer and gold medal-winning swimmer, spoke passionately about the unifying power of the Olympics. “The Olympics is the greatest peacetime gathering in the world,” she remarked. This sentiment resonated with many athletes present, including Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill, who expressed his emotional connection to the cauldron’s flame. “I didn’t feel the physical warmth, but my heart fluttered a little bit,” Hill said, highlighting the event’s significance.

In conjunction with the festivities, LA28 organizers reported that 150,000 individuals have already signed up to volunteer for the Games, showcasing community enthusiasm for the event. Wasserman noted, “That’s 150,000 supporters saying I want to be a part of this, I want to be a part of history.”

As anticipation builds for the LA28 Games, the lighting of the cauldron serves not only as a reminder of the Olympic spirit but also as a precursor to what organizers hope will be an unforgettable experience for athletes and fans alike.