OLYMPICS: LA28 lights Coliseum cauldron as ticket registration set to open

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Olympic organizers gathered around 300 current and former Olympians and Paralympians at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday for a ceremonial lighting of the stadium’s Olympic cauldron. The event marked the launch of the public countdown to ticket sales for the 2028 Summer Games.

Ticket registration for LA28’s ticket draw opens Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. local time (1500 GMT). Fans can sign up through March 18 for a chance to be assigned a time slot to purchase tickets when sales begin in April.

The cauldron lighting at the Coliseum, which hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1984 and will host the Opening Ceremony and track and field events in 2028, brought together athletes from decades of competition. Organizers described it as one of the largest gatherings of Olympic and Paralympic athletes outside of competition.

"In just the last year, I've seen firsthand how Angelenos come together, how they rise to meet every challenge, and that spirit is unmatched," said LA28 CEO William Hoover, referencing the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles neighborhoods a year ago.

Hoover also highlighted the enthusiasm of volunteers, noting that 150,000 people have already signed up to help at the Games.

"That's 150,000 supporters saying, ‘I want to be a part of this. I want to be a part of history. I want to be a part of LA28,’" he said. "We know fans around the world feel the same way and are eager for their chance to get into the stands to experience this once-in-a-lifetime, once-in-a-generation event."

Tickets Starting at $28

LA28 Chair and President Casey Wasserman called ticket registration a “major milestone” on the road to the Games. Tickets will start at $28, with a goal of offering at least one million tickets at that price. About a third of all tickets will be priced under $100.

Fans who register will be entered into a random draw to purchase tickets. Time slots for Drop 1 will run from April 9–19, with email notifications sent from March 31 to April 7. Tickets for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies are included in Drop 1.

A local presale window will be held April 2–6 for residents in select Southern California and Oklahoma counties, where canoe slalom and softball competitions will take place. Paralympic tickets are scheduled to go on sale in 2027.

On the sidelines of the event, LA28 Chief Athlete Officer and Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans emphasized the unifying power of the Games.

"The Olympics is the greatest peacetime gathering in the world. We are lucky enough to bring it here to Los Angeles and experience that," she said.

Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill said he was moved by the sight of the cauldron flame.

"I didn’t feel the physical warmth, but my heart fluttered a little bit," Hill said. "The whole world is coming to LA28."

-Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Michael Perry/Reuters