Orlando will host the final stop of the expanded Olympic Qualifier Series from June 8–11, 2028, becoming one of four international cities selected to help determine which athletes qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The International Olympic Committee announced Thursday that Orlando will join Tokyo, Shanghai and Montreal in hosting the Olympic Q-Series.
The Orlando Q-Series event is expected to feature six sports: 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball, BMX freestyle, climbing, flag football and skateboarding, according to the IOC announcement.
Orlando’s hosting bid is being led by the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, alongside the City of Orlando, Orange County, Visit Orlando and the State of Florida. According to local organizers, competitions are expected to be held around Camping World Stadium and nearby Tinker Field.
The announcement continues Orlando’s history of hosting Olympic-related competition. In February 2024, downtown Orlando hosted the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon, where six runners qualified for Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics. That event drew more than 100,000 spectators, according to the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.
Orlando has also hosted international and Olympic pipeline events in swimming, gymnastics, volleyball, soccer and other sports through partnerships with governing bodies including USA Swimming, USA Volleyball, USA Track & Field and USA Gymnastics.
City and county leaders are already touting the economic upside. During a March 18 meeting of the Orange County Tourist Development Council, Mayor Jerry Demings and tourism officials backed funding support for the Olympic qualifier bid. According to a presentation from the sports commission discussed during that meeting, the Q-Series is projected to generate roughly $48 million in economic impact and attract about 100,000 attendees.
In comments released by the sports commission on Feb. 25, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the city has “consistently shown” it can host world-class sporting events and pointed to the ongoing renovation of Camping World Stadium as part of the city’s pitch.
Jason Siegel, president and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, told ClickOrlando/News 6 back in March that hosting the qualifiers would effectively make Orlando “part of the L.A. Olympics,” with more than 600 athletes expected to compete and about 150 qualifying for the Games.
The Greater Orlando Sports Commission says it has hosted or co-hosted more than 1,700 sporting events since 1992, generating more than $3.86 billion in economic impact across Central Florida.
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