Scoring tickets to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics during the first drop earlier this month brought excitement but also some challenges for fans — and organizers are finally sharing just how many tickets have been secured as registration for the second draw opens.
The LA28 organizing committee announced Thursday that more than 4 million tickets were purchased worldwide during the first phase of sales.
“The response to our initial on-sale was nothing short of historic,” LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover said in part of a statement. “Fans from near and far have spoken: the world wants to be part of the LA28 Games.”
A presale exclusive to residents of LA and Oklahoma City — where some competitions will take place — ran from April 2-6. During that time, 95% of tickets under $100, including roughly half a million $28 tickets, were sold, LA28 officials said. “Drop 1” for the general public started a few days after the presale, from April 9-19.
Unsurprisingly, most sales in California were made in LA, followed by Irvine, Long Beach, Santa Monica and Pasadena, according to the committee. The highest selling zones were Exposition Park, downtown LA and Long Beach.
Soccer, track and field, basketball, swimming and gymnastics proved to be in high demand during the first drop, organizers said, with some of LA28’s new additions — flag football, lacrosse, softball and squash — even selling all their available inventory.
Additionally, the committee said women’s sports saw a higher sell-through rate (93%) than men’s (88%) in the first phase of sales. Volleyball, artistic gymnastics and soccer were the best-performing women’s sessions. LA28 is expected to make history as the first Games with more female athletes than males.
Global sales for LA28 Olympic tickets are underway after local presales and concerns about ticket prices. Lolita Lopez reports for NBC4 at 5 p.m. on April 9, 2026.
How to register for second LA28 ticket drop
Whether you didn’t register for the first drop, weren’t selected or didn’t purchase your ticket maximums, you will have another chance to lock in your spot when the second ticket draw kicks off this summer.
Free registration for “Drop 2” is open through July 22, and tickets will go on sale in August. Those randomly selected will be notified about their time slot through email. Across all the presales and drops, fans can buy up to 12 tickets for Olympic events (which includes a four-ticket limit for the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony), in addition to 12 soccer tournament tickets.
Los Angeles is preparing to host the world in 2028 and hosting the opening ceremony will be the LA Memorial Coliseum. Mekhalo Medina reports for NBC4 at 8 p.m. on Feb. 22, 2026.
Fans only need to register one time to be included in future ticket draws, including for the Paralympic draws slated for 2027. Those who didn’t receive a time slot during the first phase were automatically entered for the Drop 2 draw.
Organizers say the second drop will offer tickets at different prices across all Olympic sports.
Another option fans have to get tickets is through a verified ticket resale program that LA28 is expected to roll out in 2027.
In 2028, LA will become the third city to have hosted three Olympic Games, following the Games in 1932 and 1984. It will be the city’s first time hosting the Paralympic Games.
LA28 will feature 36 sports across more than 40 venues, including iconic landmarks like the LA Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park and Pasadena’s Rose Bowl, as well as modern venues, such as BMO Stadium, SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome. The city is not expecting to build any new permanent venues.
