Why LA28 has chosen Atlanta as the U.S. starting point for the Olympic torch relay

LA28 organizers announced that the U.S. portion of the 2028 Olympic torch relay will begin in Atlanta, Georgia. The decision honors the 1996 Summer Games host city, famously remembered for swimming champion Janet Evans passing the flame to boxing legend Muhammad Ali to light the cauldron. The flame will arrive from Olympia, Greece, in spring 2028 and travel across all 50 states before culminating on July 14, 2028, at the opening ceremony in Los Angeles.

The full relay route will be officially revealed in 2027, with organizers prioritizing stops in small towns across the country. Meanwhile, LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman noted that the organizing committee is navigating delivery challenges, including securing transportation funding and controlling budgets. The selection process for thousands of nationwide torchbearers will be announced in the coming months, while the final cauldron lighter remains undecided.