The path is clear. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has approved the full program and athlete quotas for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Twenty-three sports will be included: the twenty-two from the initial program, as well as climbing, included for the first time. 4.480 athletes will participate in this edition: 2.268 men and 2.007 women – 205 additional places will be available, but with no gender prerequisites. The Organizing Committee also unveiled its venue map for this edition, which will offer " the most medals in Paralympic history, at world-class venues throughout the Los Angeles area, with accessibility and the athlete experience at the forefront ».
On the road to parity
Like the Olympic Games taking place the previous month, these Paralympic Games (August 15-17, 2028) will emphasize gender diversity and provide more opportunities for women. A total of 243 events will be dedicated to female athletes, eight more than in Paris. The number of mixed events has also been increased: 46, compared to 43 in 2024. The overall picture is balanced: 46% of competitions will be men's, 43% will be women's, and 2024% will be mixed or gender-neutral.
Including climbing, 17 of the 23 sports will have parity in the number of medal events. Sixteen sports will offer the same number of places for male and female athletes, six more than in Paris. This is unprecedented at the Paralympic Games. Andrew Parsons, President of the IPC, welcomed the unprecedented depth of this program and the quota of athletes: the most balanced in the history of the Paralympic Games ". An essential basis for making Los Angeles 2028" Transformative Games ", in line with Paris 2024.
All athletes in the Paralympic Village, a first since 2016?
Most of the competitions will take place in Los Angeles. The Convention Center will serve as a multi-sport facility, hosting boccia, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, and wheelchair fencing. Next door, the Arena will host wheelchair basketball, while the Peacock Theater will be the site of goalball. Track and field will take place at the Memorial Coliseum, already chosen for the closing ceremony on August 27. Wheelchair rugby and badminton will move to the USC Sports Center. in line with LA28's commitment to maximize the use of existing facilities " Finally, the iconic Venice Beach neighborhood will serve as the setting for the triathlon and the start of the marathon. The towns of Long Beach (climbing, swimming, shooting, sitting volleyball, blind football, canoeing, flying), Carson (archery, wheelchair tennis, track cycling) and Arcadia (horseback riding) will complete the lineup.
Strokes, streamlines and swim-offs set against the sea. 🏊♂️
— LA28 (@LA28) June 3, 2025
In 2028, Para Swimming will make a splash from the Convention Center Lot in Long Beach, featuring stunning views of the Pacific coastline.@Paralympics | @Para_swimming | @LongBeachCity pic.twitter.com/ssL36sBH0q
The powerlifting venue, the road cycling start/finish and course, and the marathon course and finish will still need to be determined. With each competition venue located within a 55-kilometer radius, For the first time since Rio 2016, Paralympic athletes from all sports will have the opportunity to be housed together in the Olympic and Paralympic Village, which will be located on the UCLA campus. ", the Organizing Committee welcomes. “It is important for LA28 to deliver a plan that takes Paralympic sport to the next level, insists Reynold Hoover, CEO of LA28. The first-ever Paralympic Games in Los Angeles will take place in incredible existing stadiums and arenas throughout the region, while creating the best possible experience for athletes and fans, with accessibility as a priority.
