The 2028 Games will be the largest in modern Olympic history. L.A. will host the Paralympics for the first time. The proper stage for the more than 15,000 athletes competing in 2028 requires more than just Hollywood’s most iconic landmarks.

From the Pacific Ocean to the San Gabriel Mountains to the great plains in Oklahoma, the L.A. Olympics will use more than 30 venues to host 36 sports and 52 disciplines in the largest Games program in modern Olympic history. While the Olympic footprint sprawls across multiple states, the Paralympics will take place in a compact 35-mile radius encompassing L.A., Carson, Long Beach and Arcadia.

Olympic venues for mountain biking, race walking and soccer preliminaries have yet to be announced, along with sites for para weightlifting, para cycling road and the course and finish line of the para marathon. Soccer group-stage games will be played in stadiums across the country before the tournament returns to the Rose Bowl for the medal games.

As the final plan takes shape, here’s a look at where the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in 2028.

OSIJEK, Croatia — Former Crestview High School All-Ohioan and University of Pittsburgh freshman Abbey Emch got a medal in her first international volleyball competition.

Emch is one of 12 players on the United States Girls U19 National Team that earned the silver medal at the 2025 Girls U19 World Championship after falling in the final to Bulgaria, 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-17, 29-27) on Sunday.

The U.S. has medaled in the last four World Championships for the age group. The 2023 World Championship, where the team won gold, was the first one contested as a U19 championship. Previously, FIVB held Worlds as a U18 event, and the U.S. won bronze in 2021 and gold in 2019.

The match was close statistically as the U.S. finished with a one-point advantage in kills (46-45) and blocks (11-10), while Bulgaria served eight aces compared to five for the U.S. The key statistic was Bulgaria committing 14 fewer errors (37-23).

It is the first time in Bulgaria won a World Championship title in women’s volleyball at any age category and the first women’s team to become world champion across all team sports in Bulgaria.

The U.S. finished with a 6-3 record in the tournament, two of the losses to Bulgaria.

Outside hitter Suli Davis led the U.S. in points (17), kills (13), aces (3), digs (16) and successful receptions (4). Libero Lily Hayes finished with 14 digs.

Outside Cari Spears totaled 12 points on 10 kills and two blocks, while middle blocker Jordan Taylor shared match-high honors with four blocks to go with seven kills for 11 points.

Six-foot-three middle blocker Abbey Emch made some big plays in big moments to finish with four points on three kills and a block

The U.S. led the entire first set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. A Davis kill extended the lead to six, 10-4. Spears and Davis provided back-to-back kills to make it 14-7 and force Bulgaria to use its final timeout. Bulgaria used a late 7-2 run to cut the margin to three points, 23-20, but kills by Anderson and Davis sealed the opening set.

Davis led all players in the with six points on four kills, a block and an ace. Taylor scored five points on three kills and two blocks. The U.S. doubled Bulgaria’s kill total in the set, 14-7.

Bulgaria scored seven consecutive points to break a 7-7 tie and take early control of the second set. The U.S. got no closer than five points. Davis and Spears each scored three points on kills.

Bulgaria never trailed in the third set, using a 5-0 run to take a 7-2 lead. After the U.S. closed the gap to four points, 13-9, Bulgaria scored the next seven points. Davis scored three points.

The U.S. fell behind 7-4 in the fourth set before using a 5-2 run to even the score at nine apiece on Kelly Kinney kill off hands. A Davis ace and a Taylor block gave the U.S. a three-point lead 13-10 but Bulgaria went on a 10-1 run. The U.S. responded with its own 10-3 run to earn set point on a block by Taylor.

Each team had two set points before Bulgaria converted on its third set point with a block to capture the gold medal.

In Sunday’s third-place match, Poland swept Turkey 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-20) for the bronze medal. There were 24 teams in the tournament.

In a semifinal Saturday, U.S. defeated Poland 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-19).

Outside hitter Suli Davis led the U.S. with 18 points on 13 kills, three blocks and two aces. Opposite Henley Anderson had six kills, three blocks and two aces for 11 points, and middle blocker Jordan Taylor had seven kills and one block for eight points.

Gabrielle Nichols and Cari Spears also scored eight points, with Nichols collecting four kills, three blocks and an ace, and Spears notching six kills, one block and an ace. Devyn Wiest had one ace.

Romania rout South Africa 24-5 in men’s water polo at World Aquatics Championships in Singapore

Display count: 77

Bump, set or spike? The 15 candidates for the 2025 Daily news Fans Boys Volleyball Players of the Year are among the best in the state.

Under the guidance of coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai, Thailand fielded their full-strength squad, including Pornpun Guedpard, Pimpichaya Kokram, and Ajcharaporn Kongyot.

The Thais made a flying start, racing to a 7-0 lead before comfortably taking the first set 25-17. However, Canada responded in the second and third sets, edging Thailand 25-23 and 30-28 to take a 2-1 lead.

Thailand fought back valiantly in the fourth set, narrowly winning 25-23 to level the match and secure a vital point that guaranteed their VNL survival regardless of the final result.

In the deciding fifth set, the two sides traded points evenly, but Canada managed to clinch the win with a tight 15-13 finish.