Every Olympic & Paralympic Games, tens of thousands of volunteers are recruited to welcome athletes from around the world and help run the world’s biggest sporting event. With LA28 drawing nearer and nearer, Californians have an extraordinary opportunity to volunteer their time and see the Games up close.
Do you want to volunteer for the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games? Organizers just activated a form to register your interest. Here’s everything we know so far.
When are the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games?
The LA28 Olympic Games are from July 14-30, 2028.
The LA28 Paralympic Games are from August 15-17, 2028.
How do I register to volunteer for the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games?
This week, LA28 officially kicked off the volunteer program by releasing a new form where you can register your interest. There are two options to consider:
- Volunteering as early as fall 2025: LA28 volunteers are already serving in the community, helping out with wildfire recovery, hunger relief, and youth sports.
- Volunteering for the 2028 Games: You can now register your interest in volunteering at the Games themselves, but the official application process for Games roles kicks off in summer 2026.
If you want to register your interest, you must fill out the form on LA28’s website, indicating your preference for volunteering now, volunteering in 2028, or both. The form requests your name, email, and country. You must also attest to having no criminal convictions and agree to the possibility of doing a background check.
Then, you’ll receive an email telling you to keep an eye on your inbox for the next steps.
🌐 Learn more and register your interest: LA28.org
What’s the application process and timeline for volunteering at LA28?
Although you can now register your interest in being a volunteer at LA28, the official application process does not open until the summer of 2026.
The online application usually requests a breakdown of your personal details, skills, and availability. After that, the Olympic committee performs a round of selection interviews, and chosen volunteers later participate in training sessions before the Games.
If you are a licensed medical professional interested in working as a medical volunteer, you may apply via the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Sports Medicine Volunteer Program.
What are the requirements for volunteering?
LA28 has not gone into specifics about volunteer requirements yet. Per the website, you must be over 18, and you do not need to have any prior work experience.
That said, based on program requirements for Paris and Milano Cortina, we can make an educated guess. Requirements are usually as follows:
- Age: You must be at least 18 years old at the start of the Olympic year.
- Availability: You must be available for 9-10 days during the Olympics or Paralympics, and for training before the games. Some specific roles may require more availability.
- Languages: Both Paris and Milano Cortina sought volunteers who speak the host country’s language and/or English. Given the diversity of L.A. and the visiting athletes, bilingual and multilingual applicants will likely have an edge.
- Accommodation: Usually, applicants are expected to arrange their own travel and accommodation close to the venues.
The committee typically assigns roles based on candidates’ skills and preferences. Positions could include work in hospitality, event operations, language support and translation, and equipment tasks.
How competitive is the volunteer selection process?
Volunteer selection for the Games is highly competitive. For Paris 2024, 45,000 volunteers were selected from around 300,000 applicants, making for about a 15% acceptance rate. Milano Cortina 2026 is selecting 18,000 volunteers from 130,000 applications, or about a 14% acceptance rate.
The majority of volunteers come from the Games’ home country, but international volunteers can participate too. In Paris, 20% of volunteers were from foreign countries.
What are some of the perks of volunteering for the Games?
As these are volunteer roles, it should come as no surprise that they are unpaid. That said, volunteers can still look forward to some amazing perks:
- Access to some sporting events: Volunteers do not get special tickets for the Games. However, their role may place them in a venue that allows up-close views of the action.
- Official uniforms and gear: Each volunteer receives a complete kit and uniform for their role — and yes, you get to keep them! Paris 2024 uniforms were designed by Decathlon, and Milano Cortina 2026 uniforms will be designed by Salomon.
Where can I learn more?
The best way to stay informed about the latest LA28 news is to sign up for the newsletter and register your interest in volunteering. You’ll be the first to hear about ticket releases, volunteer applications, and more.
🌐 Website: LA28.org