LOS ANGELES -- One of baseball's most iconic ballparks is set to serve as a backdrop for one of the premier global events in sports.
Dodger Stadium will be the official venue for baseball in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the organizing committee announced on Tuesday. Baseball and softball are returning to the Olympics after falling off the program for the 2024 Paris Games.
Baseball was an Olympic medal sport from 1992-2008 and '20, but Dodger Stadium also played host to Olympic baseball during the 1984 L.A. Games, when it was a demonstration sport.
The 2028 Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 14¨C30, 2028. The vast majority of events will be held in the greater Los Angeles area, although softball and canoeing will take place in Oklahoma City.
It's unclear how baseball at the 2028 Games might impact the MLB schedule. In the 2020 Tokyo Games, the last time baseball was featured, the event took 11 days to complete, meaning the Dodgers are likely to spend an extended stretch away from their home ballpark.
But could Major League players participate in the upcoming games? As of last summer, Commissioner Rob Manfred said the idea had been discussed. Unlike the World Baseball Classic, which takes place before the regular season, the Olympics occur in the middle of the baseball season, presenting a logistical challenge. MLB has never paused its schedule for Olympic competition.
With the Games happening closer to home, though, there could be more interest from players in suiting up to represent their countries, just as many will during the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic.