You don't need a golden ticket or a connection to the International Olympic Committee to get inside the perimeter of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. You just need to know exactly when to apply and what the organizers are actually looking for.
On July 14, 2026, the LA28 organizing committee officially opens the Games-time volunteer portal. This date marks exactly two years until the Opening Ceremony. Around 60,000 people will make up the final volunteer crew, putting them face-to-face with global athletes and millions of fans. If you want to be one of them, the window is finally here.
Many applicants think you must live in Southern California or possess elite sports management degrees to make the cut. That's simply a myth. The application is open to global citizens, but the selection process is highly competitive. Let's break down the actual requirements, the massive hidden costs you must plan for, and how to position your application so you don't get filtered out.
The Bare Minimum Requirements for the LA28 Volunteer Crew
The entry requirements are straightforward on paper. However, missing even one of these details means an automatic rejection from the system.
- Age Limit: You must be 18 years or older at the exact time you submit your application.
- Language Skills: You must be fully proficient in English. This means reading, writing, and speaking comfortably. English is the official operational language of the LA28 Games.
- Time Commitment: You must commit to a minimum of 10 non-consecutive shifts. Each shift lasts roughly eight hours.
The volunteer timeline stretches across two distinct periods. The Olympic volunteer window runs from March 2028 through August 2028. The Paralympic volunteer window picks up in August 2028 and runs through September 2028. Your 10-shift commitment applies to one of these periods. If you want to work both the Olympics and the Paralympics, you must commit to 10 shifts for each, totaling 20 shifts.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Costs
Let's be completely transparent here. Volunteering at the Olympics is a massive financial commitment. Do not assume the organizing committee will cover your flights, hotels, or daily expenses. They won't.
LA28 volunteer positions are entirely unpaid. You are responsible for your own transport to Los Angeles and your own lodging during the Games. Given hotel and rental prices during an Olympic cycle, this can easily run into thousands of dollars. The committee will provide your official uniform and meals during your active shifts, but everything else comes out of your own pocket.
International applicants face an extra hurdle. Securing a spot in the volunteer crew does not grant you a US visa. You must independently qualify for and secure your own entry visa under US immigration laws. If you fail to secure a visa by the time training begins, your spot will be handed to someone else on the waiting list.
The Cities Outside of Los Angeles That Need Volunteers
While the vast majority of the 60,000 roles sit squarely within the greater Los Angeles area, LA28 is utilizing existing stadiums all over the country to keep infrastructure costs down. This means you might not even need to step foot in California to participate.
The application allows you to select your preferred locations. If you live closer to these secondary hubs, targeting them could dramatically lower your travel and lodging costs. The official events hosted outside of Southern California span seven cities:
- Oklahoma City, OK (hosting softball and canoe slalom)
- New York, NY
- San José, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Columbus, OH
- Nashville, TN
- St. Louis, MO
You can select up to three preferred role categories in your application. The organizers group these positions into eight functional buckets: operations, medical, driving, technology, ceremonies, communications, sport, and general fan experience.
How to Maximize Your Selection Odds
Tens of thousands of people will flood the portal on July 14. To stand out, you need to highlight what the organizers actually need.
While general roles require zero prior experience, the committee fast-tracks applicants with specialized skills. If you possess professional training in emergency response, medicine, security, or heavy commercial driving, make sure those certifications are prominently featured.
Language skills are another major advantage. English is mandatory, but the Olympics welcome athletes from over 200 nations. Highlighting fluency in Spanish, French, Mandarin, Japanese, or Arabic can quickly push your application into specialized translation and athlete liaison roles.
Do not rush the application, but do not sit on it for months either. Once the initial application pool is screened, selected candidates will move into a rolling assessment phase starting in 2027. This includes virtual evaluations and in-person sessions at the Volunteer Experience Center in Los Angeles.
Head over to the official LA28 volunteer portal on July 14, 2026, to set up your profile, track your location preferences, and submit your documentation before the initial wave of reviews begins.
