The volunteer footprint will extend beyond Southern California. LA28 says volunteers will also be needed in Oklahoma City and in the Olympic Football Tournament cities of New York City, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San José and San Diego. LA28 has not said that each location will have the same number or type of roles.

Who can apply

Applicants must be at least 18 years old when they apply and proficient in English reading and writing. LA28 says people of all abilities who meet those requirements are encouraged to apply.

Applicants must also be available for at least 10 non-consecutive shifts of approximately eight hours during either the 2028 Olympic or Paralympic volunteer period. Anyone who wants to volunteer during both Games must make a separate 10-shift commitment for each.

The Olympic Games are scheduled for July 14-30, 2028, followed by the Paralympic Games from Aug. 15-27. LA28’s volunteer periods are broader than those competition dates: the Olympic volunteer period is expected to run from March through August 2028, while the Paralympic volunteer period is expected to run from August through September 2028.

What volunteers may do

LA28 lists eight broad role categories: ceremonies, communications, driving, experience, medical, operations, sport and technology.

Assignments may include helping guests and athletes navigate venues, supporting crowd flow and accessibility, assisting with ceremonies, working in media or broadcast operations, helping with transportation, or supporting competition areas. Technology roles may involve broadcast services, timekeeping and results systems.

Some positions require specialist qualifications. LA28 identifies areas including medical care, emergency response, driving, security, doping control and language proficiency. Applicants can indicate relevant experience and may be asked to provide documentation.

How selection works

Applicants may identify preferred role categories and locations, but LA28 does not guarantee a preferred assignment.

The process may include an assessment, a background check and required training. Assessment invitations and role offers are scheduled to be distributed on a rolling basis throughout 2027. Applicants who are not located in Los Angeles may receive a virtual assessment option.

An assessment invitation is not a volunteer offer. Selected applicants must provide requested materials, pass the background check, complete required training and accept a formal offer through the LA28 volunteer portal.

LA28 says applications are not prioritized by the order in which they are submitted. Organizers will announce the closing date at least seven days in advance. As of Aug. 15, 2026, no closing date had been announced.

The cost and transportation questions

These are volunteer roles, not paid employment. Applicants selected for the program are responsible for arranging their own travel, housing and any visa requirements.

Venues will not provide parking. LA28 says volunteers must be able to reach their assigned posts without relying on a car during their shifts and recommends public transportation. That requirement may matter especially for people traveling from outside the host areas or accepting assignments far from home.

People interested in applying should use the official LA28 Games-time volunteer portal. Prior registration of interest does not replace the formal application, and applying early does not provide priority.

Sources

• LA28 volunteer announcement
• LA28 Volunteer Charter
• CBS Los Angeles volunteer guide

Trump hosted the athletes at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 6, 2026. The athletes were honored for their accomplishments at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, which included the Winter Olympics and Paralympics held earlier in the year.

A call for congressional action

During the reception, Trump urged Congress to pass legislation changing college-sports governance and said he would sign it. He also referred to women’s sports and said his administration was helping to save college sports.

The Associated Press report on the event did not identify the specific bill Trump referenced. It also did not establish whether Congress has enough votes to pass the legislation. The remarks therefore represent a call for action, not an enacted change to college athletics.

For athletes, colleges and fans, the unresolved issues reach beyond the ceremony. Federal legislation could determine how college sports are regulated and how questions involving athletes, women’s sports and Olympic participation are handled. The source material does not provide a final legislative text, a bill number or a timetable for congressional action, so the practical effects remain unsettled.

Olympians honored at the White House

The reception brought together dozens of U.S. Olympians and Paralympians who competed at the Milano Cortina Games. Among those attending was speedskater Jordan Stolz, according to AP.

AP reported that Trump described Stolz as the most-decorated American Olympian of the 2026 Games. That characterization is attributed to Trump’s remarks; the available source packet does not independently verify the medal count or provide official results supporting the description.

The athletes’ appearance at the reception does not establish that they endorsed Trump’s positions on college-sports policy. The event was presented as recognition of their accomplishments, while the president used the occasion to make a separate appeal for congressional action.

Why the college-sports debate remains open

The White House event followed a development reported by AP on July 31, when the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten added support for a college-sports bill. AP said the change improved the measure’s prospects in the Senate.

That legislation addresses women’s sports and Olympic athletes, among other college-sports issues. The report provides context for Trump’s remarks, but it does not establish that the bill he referenced at the White House was identical to the measure discussed in the July 31 report.

The national debate has continued as college athletics confront questions about who sets the rules, how athletes may be compensated and how women’s sports and Olympic athletes are treated under federal policy. Trump’s promise to sign legislation signals his stated position, but Congress must still determine whether to move a measure and what its final provisions would be.

What happens next

The next known step is congressional consideration of legislation on college-sports governance. No specific deadline was provided in the approved reporting, and the source packet does not say that a vote has been scheduled.

Until Congress acts and a bill becomes law, the reception changes no college-sports rules by itself. The event instead placed the president’s call for federal action alongside recognition of the U.S. athletes who competed at the 2026 Winter Games.