IOC Confirms 2028 Olympic Q-Series Events Across Four Cities

The International Olympic Committee has confirmed the full sports program for the 2028 Olympic Q-Series, setting the stage for a four-city, six-sport qualification tour that will determine which athletes earn their spots for the LA28 Olympic Games. The announcement, made on July 8, 2026, finalizes the specific events for each of the four host cities — Tokyo, Shanghai, Montreal, and Orlando — between May and June 2028, as NBC Sports reported.

A Festival-Style Road to LA28

The Olympic Q-Series, which debuted in 2024 ahead of the Paris Olympics with two stops in Shanghai and Budapest, has been significantly expanded for the LA28 cycle. Renamed from the Olympic Qualifier Series, the 2028 edition grows from two to four stops and from four to six sports, adding 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, and flag football to the existing lineup of BMX freestyle, climbing, and skateboarding. Breaking (breakdancing), which featured in the 2024 series, has been dropped for LA28.

According to the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the series is designed as a “festival-style” urban event combining high-performance sport with music, culture, and entertainment, bringing qualification competitions closer to fans in iconic city settings.

Sports Program by Host City

Each of the four stops will host four sports from the overall pool of six, creating a distinct program for every city:

Tokyo (May 4-7, 2028) — The opening stop will feature 3x3 basketball, BMX freestyle, climbing, and skateboarding (park and street). These four sports made their Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, making the Japanese capital a fitting launch point for the series.

Shanghai (May 11-14, 2028) — Returning as a host city after the successful 2024 inaugural event, Shanghai will stage 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, BMX freestyle, and climbing at the Shanghai West Bund district, as confirmed by People Daily. The Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau noted the city’s bid was based on the success of the 2024 event, aiming to create a global event that empowers both youth and the city.

Montreal (June 1-4, 2028) — The Canadian stop will feature flag football, beach volleyball, BMX freestyle, and skateboarding (park), held at the iconic 1976 Olympic Park, which will be reopened to a new generation of athletes and fans.

Orlando (June 8-11, 2028) — The final stop before the LA28 Games will host flag football, beach volleyball, climbing, and skateboarding (park) at Camping World Stadium, formerly known as the Citrus Bowl. As the Greater Orlando Sports Commission announced, Orlando previously hosted the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and preliminary soccer matches for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Flag Football Makes Olympic Debut

A major highlight of the Q-Series is the inclusion of flag football, which will make its Olympic debut at LA28. The Q-Series will determine the last three men’s and three women’s teams in the six-team field. Notably, the United States will not participate in the Orlando flag football qualifier because it already has guaranteed Olympic spots as the host nation.

Similarly, the beach volleyball Q-Series will determine the final three men’s and three women’s teams to complete the 2028 Olympic fields.

IOC Leadership and Vision

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the first female president of the organization, described the Q-Series as “one format, four stops, six sports” with a goal to “boost athlete visibility and global fan engagement.” Speaking through the USOPC announcement, Coventry emphasized the festival atmosphere: “The fans will be right there with the action — the festival feel, the sport, music, culture — coming to life in iconic cities. It will be fast paced and high energy, with lots of action, world-class athletes and a huge focus on youth.”

USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland congratulated Orlando on its selection, stating that the city’s vision “not only celebrates the outstanding athletes and competition, it invites all who love sport to come together to experience the magic of the Olympic Movement.”

Strategic Significance

The expansion of the Q-Series from two to four stops signals the IOC’s confidence in the festival-style qualification format as a key engagement tool. The selection of youth-focused sports — BMX freestyle, skateboarding, climbing, and 3x3 basketball — reflects the organization’s ongoing strategy to appeal to younger audiences. The addition of flag football, with its strong NFL backing, represents a major new audience for the Olympic movement.

The geographic distribution across Asia and North America maximizes global reach and time zone coverage, with Asian stops in May and North American stops in June, just weeks before the LA28 Olympic Games begin in July 2028.

What’s Next

Further details on the Olympic Q-Series 2028 — including ticketing, broadcasting arrangements, and the exact number of quota places per sport — are expected to be confirmed at a later date. The LA28 Games, described as the largest Olympics ever with 351 medal events, will begin approximately one month after the Orlando stop concludes.