Sports & Venues
11 sports. 7 venues. One waterfront.
A complete guide to every Olympic sport in Long Beach — how it works, what to look for and where to watch it.
July 12 – 23, 2028 · Long Beach Aquatics Center
Water Polo
A fast, physical team sport played in deep water — seven per side, including the goalkeeper, with no touching the bottom of the pool.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Aquatics Center | July 12 – 23 | Men’s & women’s tournaments: group stage, then knockouts |
What to watch for: Counter-attacks, 6-on-5 power plays and penalty shootouts in tight knockout games.
Spectator tip: Sit high in the stands — you’ll read the plays and underwater tussles far better.
July 12 – 28, 2028 · Long Beach Arena
Handball
Seven-a-side indoor ball game where players dribble, pass and hurl a small ball at a goal. Hugely popular in Europe and famously high-scoring.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Arena | July 12 – 28 | Men’s & women’s tournaments: groups, quarter-finals, medal games |
What to watch for: Flying jump shots over the defensive wall and 7-metre penalty duels.
Spectator tip: Handball runs the longest of any Long Beach sport — a good bet if you arrive before the Opening Ceremony.
July 15 – 22, 2028 · Marine Stadium
Rowing
Crews race side by side over a straight 2,000 m course, from single sculls to the eight — on the same stretch of water used for rowing at the 1932 Games.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Stadium | July 15 – 22 | Heats, repechages, semi-finals and A/B finals |
What to watch for: The final 500 m, when crews raise their stroke rate for the sprint to the line.
Spectator tip: Find a spot near the finish; bring binoculars for the start.
July 15 – 25, 2028 · Long Beach Target Shooting Hall
Shooting
Precision shooting events where tenths of a point decide medals.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Target Shooting Hall | July 15 – 25 | Qualification rounds followed by elimination-style finals |
What to watch for: Final-series shots where leaders can be overtaken with a single 10.9.
Spectator tip: Silence is expected during shots — applaud between them.
July 15 – 29, 2028 · Alamitos Beach Stadium
Beach Volleyball
Two-a-side volleyball on sand with music and a party atmosphere — one of the hottest tickets of any Games.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Alamitos Beach Stadium | July 15 – 29 | Pool play, then single-elimination to the medal matches |
What to watch for: Hand signals behind the back, jump serves and long defensive rallies.
Spectator tip: Evening sessions offer sunset views over the Pacific and cooler temperatures.
July 16 – 20, 2028 · Belmont Shore
Sailing (Windsurfing & Kite)
Board-based sailing: windsurfers and kite foilers flying above the water at high speed on the open ocean off Belmont Shore.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Belmont Shore | July 16 – 20 | Opening series of races, then a medal-deciding final series |
What to watch for: Starts, where boards jostle for clean wind, and foiling at full speed.
Spectator tip: Racing depends on wind, so schedules can shift — check updates the morning of.
July 17 – 18, 2028 · Belmont Shore
Marathon Swimming
The 10 km open-water race — nearly two hours of tactics, drafting and sprinting in the Pacific.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Belmont Shore | July 17 – 18 | One men’s and one women’s race |
What to watch for: Pack positioning at the feed stations and the final sprint to the finish.
Spectator tip: Some of the course may be visible from the shore — arrive early for a good spot.
July 24 – 25, 2028 · Belmont Shore
Coastal Rowing Beach Sprints
Rowing’s newest format: a beach start, a sprint out through the surf, a turn at a buoy and a dash back up the sand.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Belmont Shore | July 24 – 25 | Head-to-head sprints in a knockout format |
What to watch for: Running starts in the sand and tricky buoy turns in the waves.
Spectator tip: Races are short and fast — stay for the whole session to follow the bracket.
July 24 – 29, 2028 · Long Beach Climbing Theater
Sport Climbing
Speed, boulder and lead climbing on custom walls — explosive, creative and very easy for first-timers to follow.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Climbing Theater | July 24 – 29 | Speed and boulder-&-lead events: qualification, semis and finals |
What to watch for: Speed runs that last only a few seconds and bold dynamic moves on boulders.
Spectator tip: Boulder rounds let you watch athletes “read” each problem before they climb.
July 25 – 29, 2028 · Long Beach Aquatics Center
Artistic Swimming
Athletic, choreographed routines performed to music, combining strength, flexibility and breath control.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Aquatics Center | July 25 – 29 | Team and duet events with technical and free routines |
What to watch for: Lifts that launch swimmers high out of the water and perfectly synchronized figures.
Spectator tip: Seats with a straight-on view of the pool show the choreography at its best.
July 25 – 29, 2028 · Marine Stadium
Canoe Sprint
Kayak and canoe crews race flat out in lanes over short distances — the sprint cousin of rowing.
| Venue | Window | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Stadium | July 25 – 29 | Heats, semi-finals and finals |
What to watch for: Photo finishes separated by hundredths of a second.
Spectator tip: Marine Stadium’s banks make it one of the most atmospheric spots to watch.
Venues
The Long Beach venue cluster
Several venues are temporary structures built for the Games. Gates, bag rules and accessible entrances will be published by LA28 closer to the Games.
Long Beach Aquatics Center
Long Beach waterfront (see LA28 for the exact site)
A pool venue built for the Games, hosting two Olympic sports and the Paralympic swimming program.
Water Polo · Artistic Swimming · Para Swimming
Long Beach Arena
Downtown, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
The landmark downtown arena, known for the giant ocean-life mural on its exterior.
Handball · Sitting Volleyball
Marine Stadium
Eastern Long Beach, next to the Naples islands
Built for the rowing events of the 1932 Los Angeles Games — a rare piece of Olympic history still in use.
Rowing · Canoe Sprint · Para Rowing · Para Canoe
Alamitos Beach Stadium
Alamitos Beach, close to downtown
A temporary stadium on the sand with the Pacific as a backdrop.
Beach Volleyball · Blind Football
Belmont Shore
Ocean waters off Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier
Open-water racing next to one of Long Beach’s favorite beach neighborhoods.
Sailing · Marathon Swimming · Beach Sprints
Long Beach Target Shooting Hall
Temporary venue (see LA28 for the location)
A purpose-built hall for precision shooting competition.
Shooting · Shooting Para Sport
Long Beach Climbing Theater
Temporary venue (see LA28 for the location)
Speed, boulder and lead walls — and the first-ever Paralympic climbing competition.
Sport Climbing · Para Climbing
Map
Where each venue sits
Outdoor venues
Beach volleyball, rowing, canoe and open-water events are fully exposed. Bring sunscreen, a hat and water, and dress in layers — coastal mornings can be cool.
Watching from shore
Parts of the open-water courses off Belmont Shore may be visible from public beaches. Respect any restricted zones set up for the Games.
Security
Expect airport-style screening at every venue. Travel light and check the official prohibited-items list before you leave.