Eugene, Oregon, will host the 2028 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field, putting the city at the center of the American Olympic selection process ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games.
USA Track & Field and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced Monday that the trials will take place June 17–22, 2028, at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus. The competition will determine which American track and field athletes earn places on Team USA for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The announcement establishes an important milestone on the road to LA28 while continuing Eugene’s long association with elite track and field competition. The 2028 event will mark the sixth consecutive U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field held in Eugene.
Eugene Continues Its Olympic Trials Tradition
Hayward Field has become one of the most recognizable venues in American track and field. Eugene has hosted the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the sport since 2008, providing a consistent location for athletes competing for Olympic berths.
The 2028 trials will again be organized by TrackTown USA, a Eugene-based nonprofit organization that specializes in hosting major track and field competitions.
The decision means Los Angeles will not host the U.S. track and field trials immediately before its Olympic Games. Instead, athletes seeking Olympic qualification will travel to Oregon for the national selection competition before heading to Southern California for the Games.
For Eugene, the announcement extends a relationship with the sport that has helped establish the city as an important destination for elite track and field. For athletes, it provides an established venue where Olympic selection will be decided.
A New Six-Day Competition Format
One of the biggest changes for the 2028 trials will be the competition schedule. The event will take place over six consecutive days, compared with the eight-day format used in previous editions.
USA Track & Field said the revised schedule follows consultation with athletes who expressed interest in a more efficient selection process. The shorter competition is particularly relevant because the trials will occur less than a month before the Olympic Games.
Reducing the length of the trials is intended to give athletes a more streamlined path from the national selection competition to the Olympics. The schedule also reflects the physical demands associated with competing at the highest level of track and field.
Some events will be selected separately earlier in the spring. USA Track & Field said the decathlon, heptathlon and 10,000-meter events will be contested earlier to provide athletes in those disciplines with additional recovery time before the Olympic Games.
A Key Step Toward LA28
The Eugene announcement is significant for Southern California because the athletes selected at the trials will compete at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is scheduled to host the Summer Olympics in 2028, bringing the world’s leading athletes to venues throughout Southern California. Track and field will be among the central sports on the Olympic program, making the U.S. trials an important part of the preparation for the Games.
For local sports fans, the Eugene competition will provide an early indication of the American athletes who will represent the United States in Los Angeles. The trials are expected to attract substantial attention because athletes must perform at a high level at the precise moment when Olympic places are at stake.
The selection process also gives American competitors a clear target as they prepare during the two years leading up to the Games.
Qualifying Details Still to Come
While the dates and location have been established, athletes will have to wait for additional details about qualification.
USA Track & Field said qualifying standards and the qualifying windows for the 2028 trials will be announced in 2027. Those requirements will determine which athletes are eligible to compete for Olympic team positions.
The organization has already outlined the broad structure of the event, including the six-day format and the separate selection arrangements for several endurance and combined events.
The 2028 trials will also be part of a broader series of U.S. Olympic selection competitions. Earlier plans announced by USA Track & Field established St. Louis as the host city for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the marathon, scheduled for March 25, 2028.
What the Announcement Means
The selection of Eugene provides a clear starting point for the final stage of America’s track and field preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics.
For Eugene, it represents another opportunity to host the country’s leading track and field athletes. For competitors, the six-day event will be one of the most important competitions of the 2028 season. And for Southern California, the trials represent a major milestone as the region moves closer to welcoming the Olympic Games.
The June 17–22 schedule also gives fans, athletes and organizers an established date to plan around. More specific information about qualifying standards and eligibility is expected in 2027.
With Eugene once again serving as the national selection venue, the road to Olympic track and field competition in Los Angeles will begin in Oregon. The results there will determine which American athletes ultimately take the track in Southern California for the 2028 Summer Games.
