Dodger Stadium named Official Venue for Baseball at Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028

The Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) announced that Dodger Stadium will be the official venue for baseball at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.

Dodger Stadium has played host to many of baseball’s biggest moments in the United States, including the Olympic Games in 1984 when baseball was a demonstration sport, and has been the host site of 11 World Series and the final rounds of the 2017 World Baseball Classic in which the hosts USA claimed gold.

WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari commented: “We are thrilled to return to Dodger Stadium for the Olympic Games. This iconic venue is the perfect stage to showcase the very best of our sport to millions of fans around the world. When the world’s top international baseball teams take to the field in 2028, the atmosphere will be even more electric than in 1984. We are ready to work side by side with LA28 and the IOC to deliver an unforgettable experience and inspire millions of fans across the globe.”

"America's favourite pastime will capture the world's attention when baseball makes its Olympic return in Dodger Stadium in Downtown Los Angeles, one of the world's most iconic stadiums," stated LA28 in a press release. "It has hosted countless record-breaking games, including 11 World Series, the most recent being in 2024, and will continue to break records in 2028."

Dodger Stadium, which broke ground in 1959 and opened on April 10, 1962, has been home to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the past 63 seasons. The venue boasts a seating capacity of 56,000 and has gained the reputation of being among the greatest venues in sports history. In 1984, the ballpark averaged 48,000 fans per game during the Olympic Games for a combined 385,000 spectators.

In a thrilling finale, Japan defeated the United States, with President Fraccari, the home plate umpire at the time.

"It was the peak of my umpiring career," recalled the WBSC President, an Amateur Baseball Umpires' Association (ABUA) Hall of Famer. "That tournament was the key to baseball's inclusion on the programme. I'm thrilled about returning there as the WBSC President for the LA28 Games."