On July 14, 2028, the 2028 Summer Olympics will begin in Los Angeles, California, with the United States hosting the world-renowned competition for the first time since 1996. This will be the third time the City of Angels has hosted the competition, making it the first city in the United States to have hosted the Summer Olympics on three different occasions. Besides taking place right at home, this Olympics will be special for many reasons, including the addition of many new and exciting sports. These sports, including baseball,softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash, are slowly becoming some of the most popular sports worldwide, which earned them their ticket onto the biggest stage in the history of sports. The athletes that play these sports are already undergoing intense training and preparation for what will be their first chance at earning the famed Olympic gold medal.
The growing popularity of baseball and softball around the world, particularly due to the recently held World Baseball Classic, which resulted in a victory for Japan, is one of the main reasons that baseball and softball are being added to the Olympics. In fact, baseball is estimated to be played by over 65 million people in over 140 different countries, with the United States and Japan being the countries with the highest baseball attendance. The addition of these sports to the Summer Olympics are sure to garner large attention, especially if professional players from some of the United States and Japan’s biggest leagues decide to participate in the action. The world will likely be looking at Japan and the United States to be finalists in the tournament-style competition, but countries such as the Dominican Republic and Canada could also be contenders.
After being absent from the Olympics for over a century, cricket will once again be in the lineup for the 2028 Olympics. While it has primarily been a sport focused in India and Pakistan, cricket is a growing phenomenon, and it has found its opportunity to introduce itself to the rest of the world. Due to it being another bat and ball type sport, cricket is guaranteed to generate a lot of viewers in the Olympics, and the already massive fanbase (about 2.5 billion people) will help push it to becoming one of the most watched sports during the games. The cricket games will be played in the Twenty20 format, which shortens the games to a few hours rather than a whole day, and its action-packed play style will help it gain attention. The United States cricket team is currently ranked No. 23 in the world, and they will be looking to make noise in the games.
Widely considered to be the first North American sport, which has now spread to over 100 countries, lacrosse is making its third appearance in the 2028 Olympic games, but it has not made an appearance since 1948. Lacrosse in the 2028 Olympics will be played in the sixes format, which results in more action packed plays and non-stop scoring. The inclusion of lacrosse will ensure its long-lasting legacy as a global sport, as well as act as an opportunity for new players to become interested in the sport. The inclusion of the sport will also serve as a way to highlight Native American culture, as the invention of lacrosse dates back to the indigenous peoples of the North American continent. Lacrosse is one of the most important sports in the history of North America, and its inclusion in the 2028 Olympics will be a great way to honor its importance.
The most interesting addition to the 2028 Olympics is undoubtedly squash, a popular sport in Hong Kong, which is a racquetball type sport that is played with 2-4 people by striking a wall with a small, rubber ball. Despite most of its popularity being centered in Hong Kong, the popularity of squash is rising around the world, and it is looking to spread to other countries through viewership at the Olympics. While squash and racquetball are very similar, they are distinct differences, which players in the United States will have to be ready for should they try to prepare to play the game.
Finally, the arguably most anticipated addition to the 2028 Olympics, at least in the United States, is flag football. With over 28 million players worldwide, football is no longer an American-only sport, although the distinct difference of flag pulling instead of tackling is something that will set this sport apart. The NFL in particular is pushing for the addition of flag football into the 2028 Olympics, as many teams are awarding grants to pay for equipment, transportation, coaches salaries, and much more, and the 2028 Olympics could be the first time NFL players will be seen participating. It will be invaluable for the sport to be featured on the world stage, and it will ensure the addition of countless viewers around the entire world.
The addition of these five sports to the 2028 Olympics will change the games as we know them and increase the viewership around the entire world. With these sports in the Olympics, new opportunities for players will be opened up, as well as the opportunity to bring awareness to new sports and the culture around them. Although it still seems far off, the 2028 Olympics are worth getting excited for, and they will be here faster than you think.
