Look, I get it. You scroll through TikTok and see another “Cancel the 2028 Olympics” video, and you start thinking maybe these folks have a point. The fires were rough. The traffic’s already a nightmare. And don’t even get me started on what passes for public transportation around here.
But here’s the thing that’ll make you spit out your overpriced coffee: canceling the 2028 Olympics is about as likely as finding affordable parking at LAX. It is just not happening, folks.
Why LA Can’t Just Ghost the IOC
Remember when your buddy signed that gym membership and tried to get out of it? Yeah, this is like that, except the gym is the International Olympic Committee, the membership costs billions, and the contract was written by lawyers who probably have Olympic rings tattooed somewhere inappropriate.
Back in 2017, when LA was still feeling optimistic about traffic solutions, then-Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Council President Herb Wesson signed what’s basically the most ironclad contract this side of a Disney employment agreement. The Host City Contract doesn’t exactly come with a “changed our minds” clause.
Nathan O’Malley, an international arbitration lawyer, puts it bluntly: LA trying to back out would create “substantial legal issues.” That’s lawyer-speak for “you’re gonna get sued into the Stone Age.”
When Even a Global Pandemic Couldn’t Stop the 2028 Olympics
Here’s where it gets wild. Remember Tokyo 2021? (Yeah, it was supposed to be 2020, but 2020 had other plans.) The Japanese were basically begging to cancel those Games. We are talking 83% of voters wanting them postponed or canceled, protests in the streets, and medical professionals pleading their case like they were trying to convince someone not to eat gas station sushi.
But guess what? The show went on. Why? Because, as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said, only “the IOC has the authority to decide.” The potential cost of breaking that contract? A cool $4-5 billion in lawsuits, according to economist Andrew Zimbalist. That is enough money to fix every pothole in LA and still have enough left over to buy the Clippers.
The Trump Factor: More Bark Than Bite?
Now, some folks are worried about President Trump’s travel restrictions throwing a wrench in the works. Fair concern, considering recent visa denials for teams from Cuba, Venezuela, and Senegal. But here’s the kicker: Trump’s own proclamation includes exemptions for Olympic athletes and personnel.
LA28 Chairman Casey Wasserman has been playing diplomatic ping-pong, securing assurances that the U.S. will be open for business when the 2028 Olympics come to town. And let’s be real, the Olympics are too big a money-maker and prestige boost for any administration to completely torpedo.
Why LA Is Actually Perfect For This Madness
Here is the plot twist that nobody wants to admit: if any city should be ready to host what’s being billed as the biggest Olympics in history, it’s Los Angeles. They have the venues, the infrastructure, and 11 years to plan this thing.
That’s more planning time than most people put into choosing a college major. Sports historian Mark Dyreson from Penn State University nails it: “For Los Angeles, a city whose identity is partly predicated on staging the Olympics twice, and now having a third time, I think it would be really, really difficult for L.A. to give up the Olympics.”
The Bottom Line: We’re Stuck With Each Other
Look, relocating the 2028 Olympics to another city at this point would be like asking someone to plan a wedding with three years’ notice after the original couple already sent out save-the-dates, booked the venue, and ordered the cake. It’s theoretically possible, but practically insane.
The IOC would have to find a city willing to build new venues, create infrastructure, and handle the logistical nightmare of the world’s biggest sporting event – all while LA sits here with perfectly good stadiums and a signed contract for the 2028 Olympics. So whether you’re Team Olympics or Team “Please God No More Traffic,” we’re all in this together. The 2028 Olympics are coming to LA whether we like it or not.
