The 2028 Olympics will need a small city's worth of help to run, and LA28 has started recruiting it. The organizing committee has opened applications for about 60,000 volunteers to staff the Summer Games and the Paralympics that follow, timed to the milestone of two years before the opening ceremony.
What volunteers do
The roles are broad. LA28 says it needs people for tasks ranging from translation to guiding guests and athletes, spanning areas such as communications, driving, ceremonies and technology. Most positions are in the Greater Los Angeles area, with additional openings in Oklahoma City and at the Olympic soccer host sites around the country.
Who can apply
The requirements are straightforward. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and proficient in English, the committee's working language. Notably, you do not need to be a U.S. citizen or a Los Angeles resident; international applicants are welcome, though anyone traveling to the Games is responsible for meeting U.S. entry requirements on their own. A volunteer role does not come with a visa.
The commitment
This is not a one-day sign-up. LA28 asks volunteers to be available for at least 10 shifts of about eight hours each during the Olympic or Paralympic period in the summer of 2028. Applicants list their preferred roles, and selected candidates go through an interview, either in person in Los Angeles or online, according to LA28's volunteer page.
What you get, and don't
Volunteering is unpaid, and LA28 does not cover travel or lodging. In return, the committee says volunteers receive a uniform, meals and water during shifts, training, and a certificate of participation, along with a front-row vantage on a Games the city has not hosted since 1984.
How to sign up
Applications run through the official LA28 volunteer portal at la28.org. Selection happens on a rolling basis well ahead of 2028, so there is time, but the committee is casting a wide net now. For Angelenos who want a hand in their city's Olympics, this is the on-ramp.
