In 1984, the Summer Games used Stanford Stadium for Olympic soccer, but in 2028's games "in L.A.," diminutive PayPal Park will be one of six U.S. stadiums used for the sport.
One Bay Area city is getting in on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
PayPal Park in San Jose, home of the Earthquakes and Bay FC, was chosen as one of six Major League Soccer stadiums across the country to host the men's and women's soccer tournament's preliminary and knockout stages, organizers announced on Tuesday.
The South Bay was previously used as an Olympic venue in 1984, the last time the Summer Games were hosted in Los Angeles. Back then, Stanford Stadium – home of the Stanford Cardinal – hosted select soccer matches.
As a result, tickets to watch Olympic soccer in the Bay Area will be much more scarce than it was 40 years ago, with the games being played in a much smaller stadium for 2028. In 1984, capacity at the old Stanford Stadium exceeded 85,000, while at PayPal Park the crowd size tops out at 18,000, one of the smallest MLS stadiums in the country.
MLS and National Women's Soccer Leauge stadiums in New York, San Diego, St. Louis, Nashville, Tenn. and Columbus, Oh., will also host soccer tournament matches for the 2028 Games. The 1984 games hosted soccer matches at Harvard Stadium in Boston and the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Maryland.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena will host the tournament's final stages in 2028. The women's gold medal match will be on July 28 and the men's will be on July 29.
This article originally published at Soccer gets smaller Bay Area venue for 2028 Olympics, dialed down to PayPal Park.
Category: General Sports
