When the world turns its attention to Southern California in 2028, Long Beach will not just be in the frame, it will be center stage.
The city has been selected as a major Venue City for the 2028 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, hosting more Olympic and Paralympic events than any city outside of Los Angeles itself. From July 14 to July 30 for the Olympics and Aug. 15 to Aug. 27 for the Paralympics, Long Beach will transform into one of the most active, visually striking, and athlete-packed locations of the Games.
The last time the Olympic Games came to California was in 1984, when Los Angeles hosted an event that reshaped how modern Olympics were staged. That summer proved Southern California could deliver a global sporting spectacle using existing venues, iconic settings, and a city-first approach that avoided the long-term pitfalls seen elsewhere. More than four decades later, the Games are returning to the same region, and Long Beach is poised to show how much the coastline, infrastructure, and city itself have evolved.
What makes Long Beach such a compelling Olympic backdrop is its natural versatility. Few cities can offer beaches, protected bays, open ocean, urban arenas, and purpose-built aquatic facilities within minutes of one another. The city’s shoreline is not just scenic, it’s functional, making it ideal for a slate of water-based and outdoor sports that demand real-world conditions rather than temporary stages.
In 2028, Long Beach will host 18 Olympic and Paralympic sporting events across seven venues spread throughout the city. Along the sand at Alamitos Beach, a temporary stadium will rise for beach volleyball, while blind football will bring Paralympic competition to the same shoreline. Just east along Belmont Shore, coastal rowing, open water swimming, sailing, windsurfing, and kite events will unfold in full view of spectators, with the Pacific Ocean serving as both playing field and backdrop.
Marine Stadium, a historic venue built for rowing events during the 1932 Olympics, will once again take center stage. The site will host rowing, canoe-sprint, para rowing, and para canoe-sprint, reinforcing Long Beach’s deep Olympic roots and highlighting how legacy venues can be reactivated for modern competition.
Downtown and waterfront facilities will also play a major role. Handball and sitting volleyball will take place inside the Long Beach Arena, while artistic swimming and water polo are scheduled for the Long Beach Aquatics Center. Sport climbing and para climbing will introduce vertical competition spaces to the cityscape, and shooting sports will be staged at dedicated indoor venues.
Beyond the competition itself, city leaders see the Games as a catalyst rather than a one-time event. Preparations are already underway, with infrastructure investments designed to improve transportation, public spaces, and waterfront access long after the closing ceremonies. The goal is a lasting legacy that benefits residents as much as visitors, enhancing livability while reinforcing Long Beach’s identity as a coastal city built around movement, recreation, and global connection.
Long Beach also brings something less tangible but equally important to the Olympic experience: authenticity. This is a working harbor city where international shipping, sportfishing boats, sailboats, surfers, and beachgoers already coexist. Hosting the Games here does not require reinvention. It builds on a rhythm the city knows well, welcoming people from around the world while staying rooted in daily life.
When the Olympics last came to California, they changed expectations for what the Games could be. In 2028, Long Beach has the opportunity to do something similar, proving that a coastal city can host world-class competition while remaining accessible, adaptable, and unmistakably itself.
For a few weeks in the summer of 2028, Long Beach will be watched by millions. Long after the medals are awarded, the impact will remain etched into the shoreline, the venues, and the story of a city that has always understood how to perform on a global stage.
