Thanks to a landmark victory for women’s football.
For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, female athletes will outnumber their male counterparts at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, thanks to a landmark victory for women’s football.
In a historic move, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the women’s football tournament will include 16 teams, surpassing the men’s tournament, which will have 12 teams. This change reverses the gender imbalance seen at the Paris Olympics, where men’s football had 16 teams and women’s had 12.
The decision by the IOC’s executive board brings the athlete quota for Los Angeles 2028 to 50.7% women and 49.3% men, with 5,333 female athletes and 5,167 male athletes, the IOC confirmed.
A little more equality
The gap narrows slightly when athletes for the sports added specifically to the Los Angeles program – including cricket and lacrosse – are counted. In these sports, 322 female and 376 male athletes will participate.
Two more women’s teams have been added to water polo, so that tournament in Los Angeles will be equal to the men’s, in which 12 countries participate. Boxing will have one additional women’s weight category to match the men’s lineup of seven medal events.
“The message of gender equality is really important to us,” said IOC sports director Kit McConnell. “We really thank Los Angeles 28 for their support. It is central to their vision as well.”
