Climbing Officially Confirmed for Olympic Qualifying Series Ahead of LA28

The road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games is taking shape, with the International Olympic Committee announcing the dates and locations of the Olympic Qualifying Series (OQS). Following the success of the Paris 2024 Olympic qualification events, the qualifying series will expand from two stops to four, giving athletes more opportunities to earn their ticket to the 2028 Olympic Games.

For athletes hoping to compete on the world’s biggest sporting stage, the Olympic Qualifying Series will become one of the most important events of the 2028 climbing season.

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What is the Olympic Qualifying Series?

The Olympic Qualifying Series is a multi-event qualification competition created by the IOC to determine the final Olympic quota places in several action sports. Rather than relying on a single qualification event, athletes compete across multiple stops, with performances contributing toward Olympic qualification.

The expanded 2028 qualifying series will feature six sports:

• Climbing
• Skateboarding
• BMX Freestyle
• 3×3 Basketball
• Beach Volleyball
• Flag Football

For climbing, the series represents the final opportunity for many athletes to secure a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

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Four Host Cities Announced

The 2028 Olympic Qualifying Series will feature four international stops spread across Asia and North America. With two back to back competitions in Asia, then the series will move to North America with two additional back to back competitions.

The confirmed host cities are:

• Tokyo, JAPAN (4 – 7 May 2028)
• Shanghai, CHINA (11 – 14 May 2028)
• Montreal, CANADA (1 – 4 June 2028)
• Orlando, UNITED STATES (8 – 11 June 2028)

Sport climbing will be included in three of the four Olympic Qualifying Series events. The qualification circuit will begin in Tokyo, continue in Shanghai, and conclude in Orlando. Montreal will not be hosting a sport climbing qualification event.

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What This Means for Sport Climbing?

Sport climbing has continued to grow since its Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020. The Olympic Qualifying Series has now become a central piece of the qualification pathway.

Speaking about this news, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said: “The Q-Series is an exciting global event on the road to the LA28 Olympic Games. It’s one format, four stops, six sports. The goal is to boost athlete visibility and global fan engagement. We cannot wait for the series to kick off.”

“We believe the Olympic Q-Series will be really exciting for fans and for the host cities. The fans will be right there with the action – the festival feel, the sport, music, culture – coming to life in iconic cities. It will be fast paced and high energy, with lots of action, world-class athletes and a huge focus on youth.”

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Learn More About Olympic Climbing Qualification

Interested in the Olympic Qualification System for sport climbing? Follow along as Bouldering Master keeps track of the qualification process, quota allocations, continental qualifiers, ranking systems, and more in our guide to the 2028 Olympic Games.

Sport Climbing Olympic Qualification System