LA28 volunteers: what 60,000 people will actually do, and how to apply
Applications for the LA28 Games-time volunteer programme are open now — here is who is eligible, what the commitment really is, and how selection unfolds between now and 2028.
The single biggest way into the LA28 Games without a ticket or a spot on a team is open right now. LA28 began accepting Games-time volunteer applications on July 14, 2026 — two years to the day before the opening ceremony — for a programme of roughly 60,000 volunteers, per LA28. "Volunteers are the backbone of the Games," said LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover.
Who can apply
The bar is deliberately low, per LA28's programme page: you must be 18 or older at the time of application and proficient in reading and writing English. US citizenship is not required, and neither is California residency — but you must be able to get yourself to one of the eight volunteer locations: greater Los Angeles (where most roles are), Oklahoma City, New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San José or San Diego. Travel and lodging are on you, and the roles are unpaid.
The commitment
The minimum is 10 non-consecutive shifts of roughly 8 hours each, inside either the Olympic volunteer period (March-August 2028) or the Paralympic period (August-September 2028). Every volunteer goes through role-specific and venue-specific training first.
What the jobs are
Roles span eight categories — ceremonies, communications, driving, experience, medical, operations, sport and technology. Applicants rank their top three preferences, though assignments aren't guaranteed, and some roles (medical, for instance) need professional qualifications.
How selection works
Four stages: apply through the volunteer portal; complete an assessment — in person at LA28's Volunteer Experience Center in Los Angeles, or virtually for everyone else; receive and accept an offer by email; then train. LA28 says assessments and offers roll out through 2027, so an application filed now is the start of a long runway, not a quick answer. Additional volunteer opportunities outside the Games window run from November 2026 to March 2028.
Applications are open at LA28's volunteer portal via la28.org, and local coverage confirms the portal has been live since July, per CBS Los Angeles.