After 32 years, the Olympic Torch returns to Atlanta, Georgia, as the starting line for the 2028 Summer Olympic Torch Relay. For the first time, the relay will visit all 50 states in the U.S. ahead of the Jul. 14, 2028 opening ceremony in Los Angeles, making it the largest torch relay in history.
The announcement was made at a signing ceremony in Atlanta City Hall in Georgia with 2028 L.A. Summer Olympics Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman, Chief Athlete Officer Janet Evans, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
“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 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.”
The torch relay will bring the games to millions of people, passing iconic and renowned landmarks across the country. As L.A. prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, select cities prepare for festival celebrations for when the relay passes through the area. It’s predicted that the relay will take over three months.
The traditional flame will be lit in its birthplace, Olympia, Greece, before making its journey through all 50 states in spring 2028. The exact route of the Olympic Torch Relay will be announced in 2027.
The Paralympic Torch Relay will follow after the conclusion of the Olympic Games in August 2028. For the Paralympic Relay, the torch will originate in Stoke Mandeville in the United Kingdom due to its ties as the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement. The starting point in the U.S. for the Paralympic Relay Torch is still to be announced.
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