By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The flag football and lacrosse competitions at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will be held at BMO Stadium, Games organisers said on Friday after an updated plan was approved by the Los Angeles City Council.
The 22,000-seat soccer stadium in Exposition Park sits adjacent to the LA Memorial Coliseum and is the home of Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC and the National Women’s Soccer League’s Angel City FC.
Flag football will make its Olympic debut in 2028 while lacrosse will return as an Olympic medal sport for the first time in over a century. Baseball/softball, cricket and squash round out the five events added to the sport program.
Sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters they expect the men’s flag football final to be held on Friday, July 28, with the women’s final to be staged the following day.
The dates will help maximise exposure for the new Olympic sport as they will not clash with the athletics events after they were moved to the first week of the Games.
Several sports were also confirmed for the San Fernando Valley, which will host Olympic events for the first time.
In addition to BMX freestyle, BMX racing, and park and street skateboarding, the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area will host modern pentathlon and 3×3 basketball.
“Los Angeles will host an incredible lineup of sports including some of the most popular, dynamic and newest events which are unique to LA28 and will be played across the city, including in the Valley, for the first time in Olympic history,” said LA28 CEO, Reynold Hoover.
“This venue plan sets the stage for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games to engage every part of our city like no Games in history,” LA Mayor Karen Bass said.
The LA28 Olympics will be held from July 14-30.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot and Rory Carroll; Editing by Toby Davis)
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