Basketball at 2028 Olympics will start 2 days before opening ceremony

MIES, Switzerland (AP) — Basketball at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will start two days before the opening ceremony for those Games, organizers confirmed Wednesday. FIBA, the sport's global governing body, said that it has reviewed a revised basketball schedule for Los Angeles and that games will begin July 12, 2028 — ahead of the July 14 opening ceremony. It is unclear if the men's tournament, the women's tournament or both will start before the official opening. A preliminary schedule released last month calls for three basketball games July 12 and three more July 13. "This adjustment allows the quarterfinals to be played over two days and will also ensure that no game will start earlier than (noon), enhancing the overall experience for players, teams, fans and broadcasters," FIBA said in a news release. Bronze-medal games will be played July 28 and 29, and gold-medal games will occur July 29 and 30. July 30 is the final day of the Games. Several other sports also are scheduled to start before the opening ceremony, including field hockey, rugby sevens, water polo, handball, cricket and soccer. The canoe slalom competition in Oklahoma City is expected to start in the morning of July 14, hours before the opening ceremony later that day about 1,200 miles away. The U.S. is the defending men's and women's Olympic basketball champion. The women have won eight consecutive golds, while the men have won five straight.