The Paris Olympics have concluded, with Team USA clinching the gold medal in women’s basketball during the final day of official competition. Over the course of 16 days, the Games showcased a mix of traditional sports like swimming and gymnastics, alongside the debut of breaking, which introduced a fresh and vibrant energy to the event.
Following an exciting two days of breaking competitions, many are curious if this sport will return in four years when Los Angeles hosts the Summer Olympics. While most of the events from the Paris Games will be included in the Los Angeles program, breaking will not be part of that lineup, along with boxing, which has been a consistent presence in the Olympics since 1948.
Here’s a look at the forthcoming changes to the Olympic sports program for 2028.
What will be removed from the Olympics in 2028?
Breaking is the only sport officially dropping out of the Olympics for 2028. Although it was introduced in Paris as an optional sport, it will not appear in Los Angeles.
Boxing is facing uncertainty as well. While it isn’t officially out yet, its inclusion in the LA Games remains unconfirmed due to ongoing corruption issues within the International Boxing Association (IBA). For the last two Olympics, the IBA has not facilitated the boxing tournaments, placing the sport in a provisional status. Should a new governing body not be established, boxing may be excluded from the Olympic agenda.
What new sports are being added to the LA Olympics?
Los Angeles will welcome six new sports into the Olympic program, including two making their Olympic debut: flag football and squash. Flag football will feature both men’s and women’s teams, competing in a five-on-five format on a 50-yard field without offensive linemen. Squash, played in a four-walled court, will involve singles or doubles players attempting to return legal shots.
The World Squash Federation has long sought Olympic inclusion, finally achieving this goal for the 2028 Games. Both flag football and squash will be labeled as “optional,” meaning they may not return after the LA Games.
Which Olympic sports are making a comeback in 2028?
Four sports will rejoin the Olympic lineup, including baseball and softball. After missing from the 2024 Paris Olympics, both sports will return to Los Angeles. Baseball had a varied history before being reinstated as a permanent sport at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, but it was removed after the 2008 Games. It returned as an optional sport in Tokyo 2020, and is expected to feature again at the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.
Softball, first introduced in 1996, had been removed after 2008 and did not appear in Paris, yet it will return to the LA Games as an optional sport. Notably, games will be played in Oklahoma City rather than Los Angeles.
Lacrosse will be included as an official medal sport for the first time since 1908, featuring 6-on-6 tournaments. Previously a successful sport for Canada, this will mark the first opportunity to win medals in lacrosse in over a century.
Cricket is also making a return to the Olympic stage after 120 years. Having been contested only once, during the 1900 Games in Paris, the format details for the upcoming event remain undisclosed.
Finally, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing will transition from optional to permanent events in the 2028 Olympic Games.