By committing to a delivery model with no new permanent infrastructure, LA28 is positioning itself at the forefront of the global sustainable sport movement.

A Historic Infrastructure Reset

In a decisive break from the multi-billion-pound construction programmes that have burdened previous host cities with underused “white elephant” venues, LA28 will become the first Games since 1948 not to build any new permanent infrastructure.

Instead, the Games will rely entirely on existing and temporary venues across Los Angeles and Southern California — from world-class arenas to iconic coastal locations. This “radical reuse” model significantly reduces embodied carbon linked to large-scale construction and reframes the Games around adaptation rather than transformation.

Crucially, LA28’s Impact & Sustainability Plan positions this approach within a broader “transit-first” strategy, reinforcing the idea that the Games should integrate with the city’s existing systems rather than impose new ones.

It marks a structural shift: the Games adapting to the city, not the city adapting to the Games.

Resilience Beyond the Stadium

LA28’s sustainability ambitions extend beyond environmental efficiency into community impact.

The newly launched LA28 Resilience Champions Fund will award grants to non-profits delivering locally led solutions focused on wildfire resilience and nature restoration, ocean protection and urban cooling. Projects range from planting fire-resilient native species and kelp restoration to shade structures and tree planting aimed at cooling neighbourhoods ahead of the summer Games.

Importantly, implementation will begin well before 2028, embedding early investment into communities rather than concentrating impact during the event window.

This signals a growing maturity in Games planning — shifting from mitigation alone to long-term adaptation and resilience building.

Gender Equity and Programme Innovation

Sustainability at LA28 also encompasses social equity and representation.

The 2028 Games will become the first in Olympic history to allocate more quota spots to women than to men, a landmark milestone for gender equality within the Olympic Movement.

The programme will also introduce new Olympic and Paralympic sports, reflecting changing participation trends and audience demographics. Together, these decisions reinforce LA28’s stated ambition to deliver Games that are both culturally relevant and socially progressive.

Financial Sustainability as a Core Pillar

A defining feature of LA28’s model is its financial structure.

Operating as an independently funded, non-profit organisation, the committee has built its budget on commercial partnerships, licensing, hospitality and ticketing, with support from the International Olympic Committee.

This approach reduces reliance on public funding and strengthens the fiscal sustainability of the project — an increasingly critical issue for future host city viability.

In an era where several cities have withdrawn from bidding due to cost concerns, LA28’s commercial resilience may prove as influential as its environmental commitments.

Setting the Standard for Brisbane and Beyond

Taken together — no permanent builds, early community investment, gender equity milestones and financial independence — LA28 represents more than an operational adjustment. It signals a philosophical reset.

If successfully delivered, Los Angeles will demonstrate that mega-events can operate within existing urban ecosystems, invest directly in climate resilience and social equity, and remain commercially viable.

For future hosts, from Brisbane 2032 to emerging candidate cities, the benchmark has shifted. The question is no longer how spectacular the infrastructure can be, but how intelligently and responsibly the Games can be delivered.

LA28 is betting that the future of the Olympic Movement lies not in building more, but in building better systems of impact.