IOC will consider flag football, baseball for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles
A couple of American sports could return to the Olympics when the Games come to Los Angeles in 2028. Baseball and flag football are among the sports that could be added to the 2028 games by the International Olympic Committee, LA28 announced Monday.
The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic games proposed the following sports for inclusion in the 2028 Olympics: Baseball/softball, flag football, cricket, lacrosse and squash. The IOC will consider those proposals and make a decision on which sports will be added to the 2028 Olympics on Oct. 16.
The 2028 Olympics will already feature 28 events, including soccer, golf, basketball, hockey and tennis. The IOC does not have to add any additional sports to that list.
If the IOC approves flag football, it will mark the first time the sport will appear at the Olympics. The NFL is on board with Monday's proposal and has backed the idea of flag football making an appearance at the 2028 Olympics since at least 2022. LA28's news release did not state whether NFL players would be eligible to play in the Olympics if flag football is approved.
Baseball last made the cut in 2020, when Japan defeated the United States to win the gold medal. The sport will not be played in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, however. The same can be said for women's softball, which last appeared during the 2020 Olympics. In a repeat of the baseball results, Japan defeated the United States to take home the gold medal.
Breakdancing, which will make its Olympic debut in 2024, is not under consideration to be added to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
