LA28 Olympic Torch Relay to Visit All 50 U.S. States, Starting in Atlanta

Three decades after the Olympic Summer Games were last held in the United States, that host city of Atlanta will lead the way to the next U.S.-based Games. It has been announced that the LA28 Olympic Torch Relay will visit all 50 U.S. states and officially kick off in Atlanta when the torch reaches U.S. soil in the spring of 2028.

The Olympic flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece, birthplace of the Games, and the Torch Relay will move across all 50 states when it gets to the U.S., passing through landmarks and stopping at cultural and sporting events, and hosting festival celebrations in select cities. The full route for the relay will be announced next year.

Meanwhile, the Paralympic Torch Relay will take place after the Olympic Games have concluded in August 2028. The flame will once again be lit in Stoke Mandeville, United Kingdom, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement, and the Torch Relay’s U.S. starting location will be confirmed at a later date.

Coca-Cola, JPMorganChase, Allstate and Xfinity have been unveiled as the four Presenting Partners of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays. The partners will participate in various aspects of the Torch Relay, including selecting some torchbearers and providing stops at certain partner locations along the route.

“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, as Americans in all 50 states carry the flame on its path to our Opening Ceremony,” said LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman. “Starting this journey in Atlanta is a tribute to a city with deep Olympic roots and to partners like Coca-Cola, whose support has helped carry this Movement for a century.

“Coca-Cola, JPMorganChase, Allstate and Xfinity, along with participating cities, are making these relays possible, and in the months ahead, we look forward to welcoming even more cities and partners to this historic moment for our country.”

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The Flame’s Return to Atlanta

The Olympic flame will return to Atlanta 32 years after that city hosted the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, thereby honoring the city’s Games legacy and setting the next chapter in motion.

“Thirty years ago, Atlanta welcomed the world,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “The 1996 Centennial Olympic Games changed this city. They introduced a modern Atlanta to billions of people across the globe and proved we could compete on the biggest international stage.

“Thirty years later, 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. Ready to welcome it from Greece. Ready to celebrate the spirit of the Games together as a community. And ready to send it forward toward Los Angeles and the next chapter of America’s Olympic story. Atlanta was proud to carry that flame in 1996. We will be proud to welcome it back.”

Presenting Partners

Coca-Cola and JPMorganChase are two of the headline Presenting Partners for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays. The former first served as a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games.

“For nearly 100 years, Coca-Cola and the Olympic Movement have shared a belief in the power of sport to bring people together,” said The Coca-Cola Company CEO Henrique Braun. “We’re proud to support the LA28 Olympic Torch Relay and help carry the spirit of the Games into communities across the country. The Torch is a symbol of connection and the shared experiences that unite us. As the journey to LA28 begins, it’s meaningful to welcome the flame to Atlanta, the hometown of Coca-Cola for nearly 140 years and a city with a deep connection to the Olympic legacy.”

“Supporting the Torch Relay reflects our commitment to the customers, clients and communities we serve every day,” said Chase Consumer Banking CEO Jennifer Roberts. “We’re proud to bring the excitement of the LA28 Games across the country and help create a lasting legacy of opportunity.”

Economic Output

The Olympic Summer Games are less than two years away, but its economic impact is starting to come into view. According to a study from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, the Games could generate between $20.5 billion and $40.6 billion and support 126,000 to 224,000 jobs in the L.A. area.

The study, commissioned by LA28, was conducted by LAEDC’s Institute for Applied Economics, which used independently-developed modeling to determine its figures.

In August, SportsTravel highlighted five major areas of focus for LA28 organizers, following the two-year countdown milestone to the Games. The Olympic Summer Games will begin on July 14, 2028, and the Paralympic Games will start a month later on August 15, 2028.

More information on torchbearer nominations and Torch Relay partners is expected to be announced in the coming months.