Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Torch Relay To Begin In Atlanta, Cross All 50 US States

The Olympic flame for the 2028 Los Angeles Games will begin its journey across the United States from Atlanta, the host city of the 1996 Summer Olympics, before travelling through all 50 states and reaching Los Angeles for the Opening Ceremony.

The flame will first be lit in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, before being carried to the United States in spring 2028. Organisers said the detailed route will be announced in 2027.

The relay is expected to be among the largest in Olympic history, with the flame passing through prominent landmarks and appearing at major cultural and sporting events. Selected cities will also host festival celebrations as the Olympic spirit travels across the country.

LA28 chair and president Casey Wasserman said the relay would give people across the United States an opportunity to take part in the Olympic tradition, with the flame being carried through every state on its way to Los Angeles.

Atlanta will hold particular significance as the starting point. The city hosted the centennial Summer Olympics in 1996, and its mayor, Andre Dickens, said Atlanta was ready to welcome the flame back to the United States more than three decades after the Games were held there.

The relay will eventually bring the flame to Los Angeles, which will host the Summer Olympics for the third time after 1932 and 1984.

The Paralympic torch relay will take place after the Olympics in August 2028. Its flame will originate in Stoke Mandeville, England, regarded as the birthplace of the Paralympic movement. Its starting point in the United States will be announced later.

The Olympic and Paralympic torch relays will be sponsored by Coca-Cola, JPMorganChase, Allstate and Xfinity.