The 2028 Olympic torch relay will start in Atlanta and cross all 50 states
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Atlanta hosted the last Summer Games in the U.S. Now it gets the first leg of the first Olympic relay to reach all 50 states.
The Olympic torch relay for the 2028 Los Angeles Games will start in Atlanta in spring 2028 and travel through all 50 states, organizers announced on September 29. It will be the first Olympic torch relay to visit every state, according to NBC Sports.
Atlanta gets the opening leg because it hosted the most recent Summer Games in the U.S., in 1996. The flame will be lit first in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Games, before it crosses to the United States.
The full route, and the process for nominating torchbearers, will be announced in 2027. LA28, the Los Angeles organizing committee, says the relay will be one of the largest in Olympic history, passing landmarks, stopping at major cultural and sporting events, and holding festivals in select cities along the way.
"Every Olympic Games begins with a single flame, and carrying that flame to Los Angeles is an honor and privilege that we'll share with every corner of the country," said Casey Wasserman, LA28's chair and president, according to OPB.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens pointed to how much the city has changed in 30 years. "Atlanta looks a little different. We are bigger. We are more connected to the world. So, when the flame returns to the U.S., Atlanta will be ready," he said.
The last two American relays for the Summer Games reached fewer states. The 1984 relay for Los Angeles went through 33 states with 3,636 torchbearers over more than 9,000 miles. The 1996 relay for Atlanta reached 42 states and Washington, D.C., with 12,467 torchbearers over more than 16,000 miles, NBC Sports reported.
The Los Angeles Olympics open July 14, 2028, with medal events running July 15 through July 30. The Paralympics follow, opening August 15 and running through August 27.
The Paralympic torch relay is separate. It begins after the Olympics, with its flame lit in Stoke Mandeville, England, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement. Its U.S. starting city has not been announced.
Coca-Cola, JPMorganChase, Allstate, and Xfinity are sponsoring both relays.
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Frequently asked
Where does the 2028 Olympic torch relay start?
In Atlanta, in spring 2028. Organizers chose Atlanta because it hosted the most recent Summer Olympics in the U.S., in 1996. The flame is first lit in Olympia, Greece, before traveling to the United States.
How can I become a 2028 Olympic torchbearer?
LA28 says it will announce the torchbearer nomination process in 2027, along with the full relay route. No application or nomination process is open yet as of September 2026.
How many states will the 2028 torch relay visit?
All 50, making it the first Olympic torch relay to visit every state. By comparison, the 1996 Atlanta relay reached 42 states and Washington, D.C., and the 1984 Los Angeles relay went through 33 states.