Pasadena Residents Among Early Buyers as LA28 Opens Registration for Second Olympic Ticket Drop

Pasadena residents were among the top early purchasers of 2028 Olympic tickets, LA28 officials said Thursday, as registration opened for the next round of ticket sales for the Los Angeles–hosted Games.

Registration for the second ticket draw is now available at tickets.LA28.org, and fans have until July 22 to sign up. Those who register are expected to receive an email to see if they have been randomly selected for a time slot to shop when tickets officially go on sale in August, according to LA28.

Officials announced Thursday that more than 4 million tickets were purchased worldwide during the first round of sales. “The response to our initial on-sale was nothing short of historic,” LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said in a statement.

LA28 held a pre-sale for residents in the Greater Los Angeles Area and Oklahoma City from April 2–6, followed by a global sale from April 9–16. Most pre-sales were made in Los Angeles, Irvine, Long Beach, Santa Monica and Pasadena, officials said. The highest-selling areas were in Exposition Park, downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Soccer, track and field, basketball, swimming and gymnastics were high-demand events. All available ticket inventory for flag football, lacrosse, softball and squash — new additions to the 2028 Games — were sold during the first round.

LA28 described the presale as record-setting, reflecting a surge of excitement for the international event. More tickets were sold in the first week compared to previous Olympic Games, with every ticket going to residents, according to officials.

The success of the presale also came with criticism, as some Los Angeles residents reported issues about high prices, fees and ticket availability. In a previous statement, Hoover said, “The success of the Locals Presale speaks for itself: Hundreds of thousands of $28 tickets — the lowest priced Olympic tickets in modern history — were sold to L.A. and OKC locals.”

In response to criticism, LA28 said it is closely tracking fan feedback. The organization reiterated that nearly 50% of all Olympic tickets are under $200. More than three-quarters of all Olympic tickets — which include finals — are under $400. More than 1 million tickets will be available for $28. Pricing varies by sport, competition stage and ticket category. LA28 noted that just 5% of tickets, or prime seats to marquee events, cost more than $1,000.

Additional ticket drops and registration opportunities will continue in the coming months, and registered participants will be eligible to purchase additional tickets to the Paralympic Games through the Paralympic Ticket Draw beginning in 2027.

If fans do not see their desired sports or sessions in this drop, more tickets may be available in future drops if they have not reached their Olympic ticket maximum, according to LA28.