LA28 to Transform SoFi Stadium Into Record-Breaking Olympic Swim Venue

LA28 is poised to transform SoFi Stadium into a record-breaking Olympic swimming venue. When the Games return to Los Angeles in 2028, swimming will take place inside one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world.

SoFi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, will be converted into what is projected to be the largest swimming venue in Olympic history. Organizers anticipate accommodating more than 40,000 spectators — nearly double the 22,209 attendance record set at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

The decision marks a significant departure from traditional Olympic aquatic venues and reflects LA28’s broader strategy of maximizing existing infrastructure rather than constructing permanent new facilities.

For nine days during the Games, SoFi’s football field will transform into a world-class aquatic competition complex.

From Opening Ceremony to Olympic Pool

Before swimming competition begins, SoFi Stadium will co-host the Olympic Opening Ceremony alongside the LA Memorial Coliseum in a dual-venue celebration. The stadium will also host the Paralympic Opening Ceremony.

To accommodate the ceremony, organizers plan to build a removable stage over the swimming pool installation area — a design made possible by the stadium’s adaptable architecture.

Otto Benedict, Senior Vice President of Facility Operations at SoFi Stadium, emphasized that flexibility was embedded in the venue’s original concept.

“The design process and the design thought through the SoFi Stadium was always to be one that was very convertible. It allows us to do many different things,” Benedict said.

Following the ceremony, the stage will be removed, revealing the competition pools beneath and allowing the transition into swimming events scheduled for the second week of the Games.

The scale of the conversion is unprecedented.

The entire playing surface will be utilized.

“It’s going to go sideline to sideline. We will take up the entire expanse of our football field, so all 101,000 square feet will be utilized for the competition area. So it will truly look like something you’ve never seen,” Benedict said.

By the time the first swimmers step onto the blocks, the same field that hosts NFL games and international soccer will have become the largest swimming venue in Olympic history.

A Stadium Built for Global Events

SoFi Stadium is widely recognized as one of the most advanced sports and entertainment venues in the world. Opened in 2020, the Inglewood facility has already hosted Super Bowl LVI in 2022 and is scheduled to host multiple matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It will also host Super Bowl LXI in 2027 — just one year before the Olympics.

By 2028, the stadium will have served as a global stage for football, soccer, and major entertainment events. Olympic swimming will add an exciting new dimension.

Juan Carrero, Vice President of Operations at SoFi Stadium, acknowledged both the opportunity and responsibility.

“It’s a huge pride to be part of the Olympics, but also a great responsibility, as the eyes of the world will be here at SoFi Stadium,” Carrero said.

The conversion will require temporarily removing the football playing surface and installing at least two 50-meter pools — one for competition and one for warm-up — inside the stadium bowl.

Engineering an Olympic Pool Inside a Football Venue

Olympic competition pools must meet strict standards set by World Aquatics.

Each pool measures 50 meters long and 25 meters wide, with depths typically at or above three meters to reduce wave reflection and turbulence. A single Olympic pool holds more than 600,000 gallons of water.

Beyond size, precision is critical.

Wall alignment, lane widths, bulkhead positioning, and starting block anchoring must be exact. Touchpad timing systems depend on perfectly vertical end walls. Overflow gutter systems must dissipate surface waves to maintain optimal racing conditions.

Installing that level of precision inside a stadium designed for turf rather than water introduces additional considerations, including:

• Structural load management on the stadium floor
• Integration of advanced filtration and circulation systems
• Humidity and air temperature control in a stadium-scale environment
• Broadcast lighting calibration across the water surface
• Evaporation management with more than 40,000 spectators present

The environmental demands differ significantly from those of a traditional aquatic center.

The pools used for LA28 will be engineered to world-record standards — despite being temporary installations.

Modular Pool Systems Expected for LA28

LA28 organizers have not yet publicly detailed the final pool supplier for the 2028 Games. However, recent Olympic competitions have relied on modular stainless-steel pool systems specifically designed for temporary installation inside multipurpose venues.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics, organizers converted the Paris La Défense Arena into a world-class swimming venue by installing two temporary 50-meter pools in just 36 days. The rapid transformation demonstrated how modern modular systems can turn non-aquatic arenas into precision-engineered competition environments under compressed timelines.

These systems differ significantly from traditional cast-in-place concrete construction.

Rather than forming a permanent shell, modular competition pools are assembled using precision-manufactured stainless-steel panels installed on site. A reinforced membrane lines the basin, and structural bracing ensures dimensional rigidity across every lane.

The approach offers several advantages for a stadium conversion such as SoFi Stadium:

• Accelerated installation and removal schedules
• Millimeter-level dimensional tolerances
• Controlled structural loading within existing buildings
• Reusability after the Games

Temporary Olympic pools are engineered to the same standards as permanent facilities. In fact, multiple world records in recent Games have been set in modular stainless systems installed inside multipurpose arenas.

Given the scale of SoFi Stadium and the scheduling sequence — including the co-hosted Opening Ceremony and the transition to swimming in week two — modular construction represents a proven model for delivering elite performance within a temporary configuration.

As planning continues and contracts are finalized, Pool Magazine will provide in-depth coverage of the engineering, installation process, and technical specifications behind the LA28 competition pools.

LA28 Targeting Record-Breaking Attendance

Swimming is consistently one of the most watched Olympic sports. By placing competition inside SoFi Stadium, LA28 is positioning the event to shatter attendance records.

Officials anticipate accommodating more than 40,000 spectators — far surpassing the 22,209 fans who attended the U.S. Olympic Trials, the current benchmark for a swimming event.

The scheduling adjustment that moves swimming to the second week of the Games makes the conversion feasible. SoFi will first co-host the Opening Ceremony, then transition to aquatics configuration before competition begins.

The scale of the venue introduces new environmental variables. Humidity control, air handling, and lighting must operate efficiently across a far larger volume than traditional natatoriums. While swimmers are unaffected by crowd noise once racing begins, the overall event atmosphere will more closely resemble a championship football game than a conventional swim meet.

Diving at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center

While swimming will take place in Inglewood, Olympic diving events will be staged at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, following confirmation from LA28 and the City of Los Angeles.

The Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, located adjacent to the historic Rose Bowl Stadium, will undergo temporary seating enhancements to accommodate Olympic spectators. The venue already meets many of the technical requirements for elite diving competition.

Diving pools require depths typically exceeding five meters and incorporate specialized aeration systems that create surface agitation to protect athletes entering the water from platform heights.

Separating swimming and diving venues allows organizers to match each sport with a facility suited to its competitive demands — large-scale stadium seating for swimming and a controlled aquatic environment for diving.

A Modern Olympic Model

The use of SoFi Stadium reflects a shift in Olympic planning philosophy.

Previous host cities invested heavily in permanent aquatic structures. The 2008 Summer Olympics delivered the National Aquatics Center, while the 2012 Summer Olympics constructed a purpose-built aquatics venue designed for long-term use.

LA28 is emphasizing adaptability and infrastructure reuse.

By leveraging an existing global-caliber stadium and installing modular pools that can later be removed, organizers aim to reduce long-term construction costs while still delivering a world-class competitive environment.

For the aquatics industry, LA28 highlights the continued evolution of modular stainless-steel systems in high-performance environments. What was once considered a temporary solution has become the standard for many of the world’s most visible competitions.

Looking Ahead

The next several years will serve as preparation for SoFi Stadium’s Olympic role. Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl LXI in 2027 will provide operational experience managing large-scale international audiences before the Games arrive in 2028.

When Olympic swimming begins, spectators will see a world-class aquatic venue assembled inside one of the most recognizable stadiums in the United States.

What will be less visible is the engineering precision beneath the surface — stainless panels aligned to exact tolerances, gutter systems tuned for wave suppression, and environmental controls calibrated for stadium-scale performance.

For nine days, the football field in Inglewood will become an Olympic pool.

And in 2028, it will be the largest stage swimming has ever seen.