The organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics have unveiled an ambitious plan to introduce a wide range of sports for their edition of the Games. Their proposal includes the addition of flag football with separate men’s and women’s events, softball, baseball, cricket, lacrosse, and squash. This proposal is set to undergo a review by the IOC Executive Board, with the potential for ratification at an upcoming IOC session, as permitted by recent IOC reforms that enable host cities to suggest sports uniquely tailored to their Games.

Recent Olympic editions have witnessed the introduction of new sports, with Tokyo 2020 featuring baseball, softball, karate, skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing. Similarly, Paris 2024 continued with skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing, while breaking made its Olympic debut. Skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing have already been confirmed for LA 2028, however, it should be noted that breaking will not be part of the Olympic program for 2028.

Flag football, a form of American football, has never been a part of the Olympic medal sports lineup. Nonetheless, the NFL has played a vital role in advocating for the inclusion of flag football in the Games. The sport has gained momentum, with men’s and women’s flag football tournaments being featured at the 2022 World Games, a global multi-sport event.

Softball and baseball, once Olympic medal sports, were temporarily removed from the Olympic program but were reinstated for Tokyo 2020 due to their popularity in Japan. Nevertheless, they are not included in the sports lineup for the 2024 Paris Games.In anticipation of the possible inclusion of these sports, Dodger Stadium was previously earmarked as a venue in Los Angeles’ 2015 Olympic bid proposal. Nevertheless, as of now, the organizers of LA 2028 have not revealed their venue selections for these newly proposed sports.

Cricket, which was contested at the 1900 Paris Games, will possibly make a return to the Olympics, with LA 2028 considering the shorter Twenty20 version of the sport for inclusion.

Squash has made multiple attempts to become an Olympic sport, including a finalist position for the Tokyo 2020 program. However, despite these endeavors, it has not secured a place in the Olympic Games.

Lacrosse, which was an Olympic medal sport in the early 20th century, may also see a revival with proposed inclusion in LA 2028. Nonetheless, in the past, only men participated in this sport in the Olympics.

It is important to note that while the Olympic Charter suggests approximately 10,500 athletes for the Summer Games, this number is not rigidly fixed, as demonstrated by the higher athlete counts in recent editions in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. This ambitious expansion of sports for LA 2028 seeks to inject cultural significance and enthusiasm into the Games while maintaining a commitment to fiscal responsibility.

In summary, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizers are planning to introduce several new sports, including flag football, softball, baseball, cricket, squash and lacrosse. This proposal is under review by the IOC Executive Board and could be approved at an upcoming IOC session. Recent Olympics have witnessed the inclusion of new sports, and while some are confirmed for LA 2028, breaking will not be part of the program. This expansion aims to bring cultural relevance and excitement to the Games while maintaining fiscal responsibility, despite potential variations in athlete numbers from the Olympic Charter’s suggestion.