Basketball at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will get a head start, with the competition set to begin two days ahead of the official opening ceremony on July 14, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced today.
The decision was confirmed following a meeting of FIBA’s executive committee, with the goal of improving the overall tournament flow.
“This adjustment allows the quarter-finals to be played over two days and will also ensure that no game will start earlier than 12pm, enhancing the overall experience for players, teams, fans and broadcasters,” FIBA stated.
According to a preliminary schedule, the medal matches are slated for July 29 and 30.
The basketball competition will be held at the Inglewood Dome, where the United States men’s and women’s teams will look to defend their gold medals from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The shorter, fast-paced 3×3 basketball tournament is scheduled to begin after the opening ceremony.
Basketball is not the only sport getting a jump on the Games, as a number of other events, including cricket, soccer, handball, field hockey, and rugby sevens, are also slated to start before the official opening ceremony.
