The IOC is confident that the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles can avoid problems with the World Cup, says Coventry

Olympic chief Kirsty Coventry said on Wednesday she was confident Los Angeles would successfully host the 2028 Summer Games despite what she described as «challenges» ahead of the World Cup.

The showpiece football tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, starts on Thursday.

However, the run-up to the June 11-July 19 competition was marred by fans, a top referee and team officials being banned from the tournament.

A record number of 48 teams and millions of supporters will descend on the three host countries for the largest and most logistically complex World Cup ever.

But the refusal of US immigration authorities to allow Somali referee Omar Artan, one of Africa’s top match officials, into the country has underlined fears that US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies could leave deep scars on the tournament.

“We are of course very aware of and following the World Cup as it gets closer to kick-off,” said Coventry, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“I am confident that in two years we will be able to overcome some of the challenges currently facing the World Cup.”

Coventry told a press conference that this would require “collaboration and learning”.

READ ALSO: Somali World Cup referee is denied entry to the US and returns home to a hero’s welcome

“The task force and everyone on the ground are learning now and all we can do at this point is continue to work very closely with the OCOG (local organizing committee), the USOPC (the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee), to continually provide our feedback that we receive from stakeholders,” she said.

“Then it is our job to monitor that, advocate for it and ensure that athletes and their entourage are there at the LA28 Games.”

Coventry added: “We’re going to work with them consistently, we’re going to work with them consistently.

“As soon as we receive feedback from the Olympic movement and our stakeholders, we will pass it on directly to them.

“This is just part of the process, so we just have to keep faith in that process.

“And I really believe we will see a successful LA 2028.”

The Olympic Games in Los Angeles will take place from July 14 to 30, 2028, when Trump is still in power.

Published on June 10, 2026