​(All quotes are taken directly from a transcript of the LA28 press conference I attended July 14, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.)LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 14: Atmosphere at LA28 Two Years Out at Griffith Park on July 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images for LA28)Getty Images for LA28Exactly 731 days before the Opening Ceremony of the 2028 Olympic Games, LA28 officially opened applications Tuesday for what organizers describe as one of the largest volunteer programs in Olympic history—a call for 60,000 volunteers who will ultimately become the first faces millions of athletes, spectators and visitors encounter when the world arrives in Los Angeles. The announcement, made at Griffith Park on July 14, marked another significant milestone in LA28’s countdown to the Summer Games. While venue announcements, transportation plans and competition schedules often fill Olympic headlines, LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover argued that volunteers will ultimately define the experience of the Games more than any stadium or sporting venue.LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 14: Reynold Hoover, LA28 CEO, speaks during LA28 Two Years Out at Griffith Park on July 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera – IOC/IOC Collection via Getty Images)IOC Collection via Getty Images”We have an opportunity here to show the world on July 14, 2028—just 731 days from today—that we can bring together more than 200 countries not in conflict but in competition,” Hoover said.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe volunteer portal officially opened Tuesday after already attracting more than 300,000 expressions of interest from prospective volunteers over the past several years.”Today is the day that we’re launching our volunteer portal,” Hoover said. “Across the LA region we’ve done 30 events, but today really is the big day. We want everybody to go to our LA28 website and sign up to be a volunteer.”LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 14: A view of LA28 volunteers seen during LA28 Two Years Out at Griffith Park on July 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera – IOC/IOC Collection via Getty Images)IOC Collection via Getty ImagesEvery Olympic Games is remembered for unforgettable athletic performances. Less visible—but equally essential—are the volunteers. From directing visitors through subway stations to helping athletes navigate venues, welcoming international guests and supporting competitions behind the scenes, Olympic volunteers often create the first and last impressions visitors take home from a host city. Hoover said watching volunteers at both the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics reinforced just how central they are to a successful Games.ANTHOLZ-ANTERSELVA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 19: Volunteers clean the shooting range of snow for a Biathlon training session on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Anterselva Biathlon Arena on February 19, 2026 in Anth