LA28 Opens 60,000 Volunteer Positions as Two-Year Countdown Begins
The 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles are exactly two years away, and organizers have officially opened applications for 60,000 volunteers to help run the Games. LA28 is seeking individuals for roles spanning communications, driving, ceremonies, technology, and translation services, with the bulk of positions located in Los Angeles and additional opportunities in Oklahoma City and soccer tournament host sites. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and proficient in English; they do not need to be U.S. residents. The first step is applying through the LA28 website, after which selected candidates will be invited for in-person or online interviews. This volunteer program echoes the nearly 29,000 people who served during Los Angeles's last Olympics in 1984, but on a much larger scale.
For many locals priced out of attending the Games — where tickets for premium events have drawn criticism — volunteering offers a potential entry point. However, the commitment is substantial: volunteers must be available for 10 eight-hour shifts during either the Olympics or Paralympics. The announcement comes as the city ramps up logistical preparations, with LA28 seeking a workforce that reflects the region's diversity. Organizers hope the program will foster community ownership of the event, especially after a year that saw Congress defund public media, forcing outlets like LAist to rely entirely on community funding to cover the Games.
MLB Players Eye Olympic Debut as Labor Disputes Threaten Participation
While volunteer recruitment moves forward, a far more complex negotiation is unfolding behind the scenes. Major League Baseball has gathered support from owners to allow big league players to participate in the Olympics for the first time, but disagreements with the MLB Players Association over hotel rooms, tickets, and a mandatory-participation agreement have complicated their involvement in LA28, according to sources familiar with the talks. Emails and documents obtained by ESPN illustrate months of conflict between the parties, leaving LA28 officials seeking a prompt resolution. MLB plans to shut down the sport for 11 days to accommodate an All-Star Game on the West Coast that would precede a six-team tournament scheduled at Dodger Stadium.
The MLBPA has been hesitant to rubber-stamp LA28's proposal. The union is seeking a deal similar to what the International Olympic Committee struck with the National Hockey League and NHLPA, which brought professional hockey players back to the Milano Cortina Games in 2026 after a 12-year absence. With the smashing success of the 2026 World Baseball Classic — where three powerhouse teams (the United States, Dominican Republic, and WBC champion Venezuela) have already qualified — the desire for big league players to compete in the Olympics has grown. Yet unresolved issues over player compensation, accommodations, and ticket allocations threaten to derail the momentum. The stakes are high: securing MLB participation would be a major coup for LA28, injecting star power and global attention into the baseball tournament, while failure could leave a void similar to the NHL's long Olympic hiatus.
Meanwhile, on the international basketball front, France's Victor Wembanyama is set to make his first appearance for Les Bleus since the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he earned a silver medal. The San Antonio Spurs center has been added to the roster for the second round of FIBA World Cup qualifying, signaling his commitment to national team play. With France leading Group L at 5-1, Wembanyama's return alongside fellow NBA talents Rudy Gobert and Maxime Raynaud underscores the growing importance of international competition as a proving ground for the Olympics.
Lindsey Vonn's Grueling Recovery Highlights Athlete Sacrifice
Five months after her horrific crash at the Winter Olympics in Italy, Lindsey Vonn is still battling major injuries in both legs. Appearing on SportsCenter on Friday, the former Olympic gold medalist provided a sobering update: her left leg still has no ACL, which was torn in her last downhill before the Games, and her right ankle remains broken. "My left leg is actually healing really nicely. I still have no ACL, so I need to get the metal out and fix that. But my right ankle's been the problem child. It's still broken, but it doesn't hurt that much," Vonn said. She has not ruled out a return to competition once fully functional, but the rehab process has tested her patience in ways she never expected. "The bones don't heal the same way that ligaments do. The pain was substantially more than I've ever had," she admitted.
Vonn, who retired for six years before returning to competitive skiing at age 41, has been open about the mental and physical toll. She appeared at the Met Gala in May without crutches and presented the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award to Stephen Curry at the ESPYs, underscoring her resilience. Her crash nearly forced amputation of her left leg, yet she has said she knew the risks and has no regrets. Vonn's journey mirrors the broader narrative of Olympic athletes who push beyond conventional limits — a theme that resonates as LA28 prepares to welcome the world's best. Her presence at Fanatics Fest alongside Tom Brady and Serena Williams also highlights how retired icons continue to shape sports culture, including through minority ownership stakes in women's teams like the NWSL's Utah Royals.
The Bigger Picture: Managing Expectations and Logistical Nightmares
As the countdown to LA28 ticks forward, the converging stories of volunteer recruitment, labor negotiations, and athlete recovery illustrate the immense complexity of staging the modern Olympics. The LA28 team must balance local enthusiasm with corporate interests, labor rights, and the physical demands placed on competitors. The volunteer program is a bright spot: it offers grassroots engagement and a way for Angelenos to be part of history, even as ticket prices remain a barrier for many. Meanwhile, the MLBPA's push for fair treatment mirrors broader trends in professional sports, where unions increasingly demand a share of the financial upside — a dynamic that will likely shape future Olympic partnerships.
The Olympic movement itself is at a crossroads. The success of events like the World Baseball Classic and the growing popularity of FIBA qualifying suggest that standalone international tournaments are gaining traction, potentially reducing the Olympics' monopoly on global sports fandom. Yet the allure of the Games remains powerful: for a city like Los Angeles, hosting is an opportunity to showcase its diversity, infrastructure, and cultural clout. As Lindsey Vonn continues her slow recovery, she embodies the grit required to compete, while the MLB negotiations test whether the Olympic dream can align with player welfare. The next two years will determine whether LA28 can pull off a seamless Games — or whether fractures beneath the surface will widen.
For those inspired by Vonn's resilience or curious about the volunteer program, the road to 2028 is already underway. Applications are open now, and the world will be watching how Los Angeles navigates the delicate balance between spectacle and substance.
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