LA 2028 Olympics tickets are distributed through a random draw system — not first-come-first-served. You register, get randomly assigned a time slot if selected, and purchase tickets during your assigned window. Registration for the Drop 2 LA28 Olympic Ticket Draw and the Visa Presale Draw closes July 22, 2026. If you haven’t registered yet, that’s your first move. More than 4 million tickets were sold during Drop 1, purchased by fans in 85 countries across all 50 US states. Drop 2 will release refreshed inventory across all sports — this guide covers exactly how the system works, what the key dates are, and what your options are if you miss the draw.
| Event | Date | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Drop 2 registration closes | July 22, 2026 | Register at tickets.la28.org |
| Visa Presale opt-in closes | July 22, 2026 | Log in and check Visa cardholder box |
| Visa Presale notifications | July 27, 2026 | Check email |
| Visa Presale purchase window | July 29-31, 2026 | Purchase during assigned time slot |
| Drop 2 notifications | August 6-7, 2026 | Check email |
| Drop 2 purchase window | August 10-20, 2026 | Purchase during assigned time slot |
| Paralympic tickets | From 2027 | Separate registration process |
How the LA28 Ticket Draw System Works
The LA28 ticket system is a draw — not a queue. Understanding this distinction prevents the most common mistake fans make, which is waiting at a computer at a fixed time expecting to compete in a first-come-first-served sale.
How it actually works:
- Register at tickets.la28.org — create an LA28 ID account and complete your profile. Registration is free. No purchase required.
- Random selection — after the registration period closes, LA28 randomly assigns time slots to selected registrants. Not everyone who registers receives a time slot in every drop.
- Time slot notification — if you’re selected, you receive an email with your specific date and time window to access the ticketing platform.
- Purchase during your time slot — you log in during your assigned window and select which sessions you want. Fans can purchase up to 12 tickets across Olympic competitions and ceremonies. Fans will also be able to purchase an additional 12 tickets for all football matches above and beyond the 12-ticket allotment. A maximum of four tickets per ceremony applies within the overall limit.
- Unused allocation carries forward — fans who do not use all 12 of their ticket allotment in Drop 1 will be eligible for later round sales up to the maximum limit.
One registration covers future drops: only one registration is required to be entered into subsequent draws. If you registered for Drop 1 and didn’t receive a time slot or didn’t purchase your full allocation, you’re automatically entered into Drop 2. You don’t need to register again — but you do need to register before July 22 if you’ve never registered at all.
Drop 2: The Key Dates Right Now
Registration for the Drop 2 LA28 Olympic Ticket Draw and the Visa Presale Draw closes July 22, 2026. Visa Presale time slot notifications will be released on July 27 with the presale taking place July 29-31, 2026. Drop 2 time slot notifications will be released on August 6-7 with time slots running between August 10-20.
What Drop 2 will include: The release will include refreshed inventory across all sports and a wide range of price points. The exact volume and sports coverage haven’t been confirmed — LA28 hasn’t specified which sessions or how many seats are available in Drop 2, only that it includes inventory across all sports.
Ticket prices: Almost all tickets priced under USD 100 in Drop 1 were sold during dedicated local sales windows in Los Angeles and Oklahoma City. Around half a million tickets priced at USD 28 were sold to these local communities. The $28 entry-level price point exists but was prioritized for LA and Oklahoma City residents in Drop 1. Drop 2 pricing hasn’t been confirmed but is expected to include a range of price points.
The Visa Presale: Early Access for Cardholders
The Visa Presale is a separate early purchase window ahead of Drop 2, available to qualifying Visa cardholders who opt in before the deadline.
Who qualifies: If, as of June 1, 2026, you have an active Visa card in good standing, you can opt in to the Visa Presale Draw.
How to opt in:
- If you haven’t registered yet: go to tickets.la28.org, create an LA28 ID account, and check the Visa cardholder box during registration — all before July 22
- If you already registered: log in to your existing LA28 ID account, update your registration by selecting the Visa cardholder checkbox, and save — before July 22
To enter the Visa Presale draw, registered fans must log into their LA28 ID accounts and opt in by checking a validation box before July 22, 2026.
Important: The Visa Presale is also a random draw — opting in doesn’t guarantee a time slot. It gives you an additional chance at a time slot in the July 29-31 window before the main Drop 2 window opens August 10-20. If you have a Visa card and are planning to attend the Games, opting in takes 2 minutes and gives you an extra opportunity at early access.
What Happens If You Don’t Get a Time Slot
Not receiving a time slot in Drop 2 doesn’t mean you can’t attend the Games. Several options remain:
Future drops: LA28 has confirmed additional drops will follow. Registration is required once and remains valid for future sales phases. Your registration automatically carries forward.
On Location hospitality packages: Curated ticket-inclusive hospitality packages are currently available through On Location, the official hospitality provider for LA28. These packages are sold separately and do not count towards the 12-ticket limit for standard purchases. On Location packages include guaranteed tickets plus lounge access, premium services, and in some cases accommodation and transport. They’re more expensive than standard tickets but bypass the draw system entirely — available now at onlocation.com.
Secondary market: As the Games approach and drop purchases are confirmed, a secondary market will develop. LA28 will confirm its official resale platform closer to 2028.
Paralympic tickets: Paralympic tickets will be available for purchase starting in 2027. A separate registration process will be announced — worth registering for if you’re planning a longer Games visit.
Tickets for Football (Soccer) Matches
Football is the one sport with a separate ticket allocation at LA28. Fans will also be able to purchase an additional 12 tickets for all football matches above and beyond the 12-ticket allotment. This means football tickets don’t eat into your general 12-ticket limit — you can buy up to 12 general Olympic tickets AND up to 12 football match tickets separately.
Football preliminary matches take place at venues across the US including MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey), Ohio Stadium (Columbus), Nissan Stadium (Nashville), Busch Stadium (St. Louis), and Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego). Finals and knockout matches are expected to be at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
For fans planning to follow football through the tournament, the separate football allocation is a genuinely important detail — budget and plan for both categories independently.
Ceremonies: The 4-Ticket Limit
A maximum of four tickets per ceremony applies within the overall limit. The Opening Ceremony at SoFi Stadium (2028 Stadium) and the Closing Ceremony at the LA Memorial Coliseum are the two headline events. Both will be among the most in-demand sessions in the entire Games — expect these to be among the first time slots used when fans access their purchase windows.
If attending a ceremony is your priority, use your time slot on ceremony tickets first before selecting other sessions. The ceremony allocation is capped at four tickets per account regardless of your total 12-ticket limit.
How to Prepare for Your Time Slot
When you receive a time slot notification, you have a specific window to access the platform and select sessions. Being unprepared during your window wastes the opportunity.
Before your time slot opens:
- Review the full venue and zone guide — know which sports and venues you want to prioritize
- Check the zone map to understand which sessions make sense to combine in a single day
- Decide your ceremony priority — Opening, Closing, or both
- Have your payment method ready and verified in your LA28 account
- Log in and familiarize yourself with the interface before your window opens
The full zone and venue breakdown is in the LA 2028 Olympics Venues and Zones Guide — use it to plan which sessions to prioritize before your time slot arrives.
After You Have Tickets: What to Book Next
Once tickets are confirmed, two things become urgent:
Accommodation: The zone your tickets are in should guide your accommodation choice. A hotel on a direct Metro line to your primary venue zone beats a cheaper hotel that requires complex transit on event days. Airbnb accommodations will be available for booking starting in July 2026 — that window opens in approximately 4 weeks. For the full accommodation strategy by zone, see the LA 2028 Olympics Budget Travel Guide.
Flights: International flights for summer 2028 will become available approximately 12 months in advance — from July 2027. Delta is the Official Airline of Team USA and LA28. Book as soon as flights open — Olympic periods are the highest-demand flight windows globally and fares climb sharply as the Games approach.
Essential Internal Resources
These guides on Parandjah Travels cover the related planning layers:
- For the full venue and zone breakdown: LA 2028 Olympics Venues and Zones Guide
- For accommodation timing and budget strategy: LA 2028 Olympics Budget Travel Guide
- For the transport strategy between zones: LA 2028 Olympics Transport Guide
- For the overall LA 2028 travel overview: LA 2028 Olympics Travel Guide
- For event travel planning framework: Guide to Planning Event Travel Itineraries
Master Your Destination: City Budget Guides
Planning to extend your LA 2028 trip to other US or international cities? These city guides cover where to stay for less:
Americas Budget Hubs
New York · Chicago · Toronto · Mexico City · Buenos Aires · Cape Town
European Budget Hubs
Madrid · Paris · Rome · Dublin · Lisbon · Budapest · Prague · Vienna · Istanbul · Amsterdam · Milan · Barcelona · Berlin
Asia-Pacific Budget Hubs
Bangkok · Tokyo · Sydney · Singapore · Seoul
Frequently Asked Questions
When does LA 2028 Olympics ticket registration close for Drop 2?
Registration for the Drop 2 LA28 Olympic Ticket Draw and the Visa Presale Draw closes July 22, 2026. If you registered for Drop 1, you’re automatically entered — no action needed unless you want to opt in to the Visa Presale. If you’ve never registered, go to tickets.la28.org before July 22.
How many LA 2028 Olympics tickets can I buy?
Fans can purchase up to 12 tickets across Olympic competitions and ceremonies, with an additional 12 tickets available for all football matches above and beyond the 12-ticket allotment. A maximum of four tickets per ceremony applies within the overall limit.
What is the Visa Presale for LA 2028 Olympics tickets?
The Visa Presale will take place from July 29-31, 2026 — an early purchase window before the main Drop 2 window opens August 10-20. It’s available to qualifying Visa cardholders who opt in before July 22. It’s also a random draw — opting in gives you a chance at an early time slot, not a guarantee.
What if I don’t get a time slot in Drop 2?
Future drops will follow and your registration carries forward automatically. On Location hospitality packages with guaranteed tickets are available now at onlocation.com and bypass the draw system entirely. Paralympic tickets will be available through a separate process starting in 2027.
Want More Free Travel Resources?
Grab the free 2026 Travel Dupes Cheat Sheet for budget-friendly destination ideas to pair with your LA 2028 trip. Subscribe at the top of parandjahtravels.com to download it instantly.
Conclusion
LA 2028 Olympics tickets come through a random draw — not a queue. Register at tickets.la28.org before July 22 if you haven’t already. If you have a Visa card, opt in to the Visa Presale Draw at the same time — it takes two minutes and gives you an extra chance at the July 29-31 early access window. If you’re selected for Drop 2, use your time slot on ceremony tickets first, then build your session list around the venue zones where you plan to stay. More drops will follow after August 2028 for fans who don’t receive a time slot this round.
Marsha Rowe is the Founder and Travel Strategist at Parandjah Travels. She uncovers high-intent travel intelligence, specializing in slow travel frameworks and sports event logistics.