Eugene will host the 2028 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, marking the sixth consecutive time the Willamette Valley college town has held American track’s premier event, Tracktown USA, the local marketing and organizing group, USA Track & Field and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced Monday.
The June 17-22 meet will follow a six-day competition format down from an eight-day format for previous Trials. The Olympic track competition schedule for the Los Angeles Games will cover 10 days, including an opening day in which four rounds of the women’s 100-meter dash will be held.
“The revised schedule follows consultation with athletes who expressed interest in a more efficient selection process, particularly with the Trials taking place less than a month before the Olympic Games,” according to a press release announcing Eugene’s selection.
Selection for the 10,000 meters, the decathlon and heptathlon will be held earlier in the spring “to allow additional recovery time before the Games,” according to the press release. The date and location of those Trials are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
St. Louis will host the Olympic Marathon Trials on March 25, 2028. Qualifying for the 2028 Paralympic Games will be determined at a later date.
Tracktown USA referred questions about the track trials to USA Track & Field, which did not respond to multiple requests for comment and clarification.
The decision to award Eugene the Trials for a ninth time since 1972 will likely be greeted with mixed feelings within the sport, especially with athletes and fans who have increasingly complained about the cost of traveling to and staying in a small city with a population of under 180,000, a global reputation for price gouging and that is a two-hour drive from the closest major airport.
A number of athletes told the Southern California News Group in 2024 that it was cheaper for them to house and send their families and support staff to Paris, site of the 2024 Olympic Games, than to Eugene for the Olympic Trials.
Besides the exorbitant travel, lodging and ticket costs, many in the sport have complained about Eugene fatigue. Eugene has hosted 11 Olympic Trials or U.S. Championships since 2008, including five straight from 2021 to 2025. This year’s U.S. Championships were held in New York City, but next year’s meet will return to Eugene. Eugene has also hosted 10 of the last 12 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Eugene is also contracted to host the 2027 and 2028 NCAA meets.
The 1984 Trials selecting the U.S. team for the Olympic Games were held in the Coliseum, the site of the Olympic track and field competition. The 1996 Trials were held in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Stadium, the venue for the track and field competition later that summer.