LA28 Squash Qualification: How Athletes Can Qualify for the 2028 Olympics

Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail

Squash will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, giving the sport a historic opportunity to showcase its top players on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

A total of 32 athletes will compete in the squash events at LA28, with 16 places available in the men’s tournament and another 16 in the women’s competition.

How Many Squash Players Will Compete at LA28?

The Olympic squash competition will feature two individual tournaments:

• Men’s event: 16 athletes
• Women’s event: 16 athletes
• Total: 32 athletes

Unlike some team-based Olympic sports, squash qualification is awarded to individual players by name.

Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) can qualify a maximum of two athletes per gender.

How Can Players Qualify for LA28 Squash?

Athletes can earn Olympic qualification through five main routes:

1. Host nation allocation
2. Continental Games
3. PSA World Rankings
4. Universality places
5. Final World Qualifying Tournament

These pathways are designed to provide opportunities for players from different regions while ensuring that the strongest competitors have a route to the Olympic tournament.

United States Gets Host Nation Places

As the host country, the United States will receive one quota place in both the men’s and women’s squash competitions.

This guarantees American representation in the historic first Olympic squash tournament, subject to the athlete meeting the applicable eligibility requirements.

PSA World Rankings Will Play a Major Role

The PSA World Rankings will be one of the most important qualification routes for LA28.

A total of 14 quota places will be determined through the rankings, with the relevant rankings set to be confirmed by May 22, 2028.

This means performances on the professional squash circuit in the lead-up to the Games will be particularly important for players hoping to secure an Olympic place.

Continental Games Provide Another Route

Athletes can also qualify through their respective Continental Games.

The qualification process begins in September 2026, with the Asian Games marking the start of the pathway toward the Los Angeles Olympics.

Continental competitions will therefore play an important role in determining which athletes represent their regions at LA28.

Final World Qualifying Tournament

Players who have not secured a quota through the other qualification routes will have another opportunity at the Final World Qualifying Tournament.

The event is scheduled to take place from June 6 to June 10, 2028.

It will provide one of the final opportunities for athletes to earn a place in the historic Olympic squash competition.

Universality Places

Universality places are also included in the qualification system. These places are intended to help broaden participation and provide athletes from eligible National Olympic Committees with opportunities to compete at the Games.

Together with the other qualification pathways, they will help complete the final fields for the men’s and women’s squash tournaments.

Olympic Eligibility Requirements

Qualifying through one of the available routes does not automatically guarantee participation.

Athletes must meet the requirements of the Olympic Charter, relevant IOC policies, the World Anti-Doping Code, and the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions.

They must also comply with applicable World Squash regulations and all other conditions of participation established for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Important LA28 Squash Qualification Dates

The qualification process will run over several years, with key dates including:

• September 2026: Qualification pathway begins with the Asian Games.
• May 22, 2028: PSA World Rankings used for qualification are confirmed.
• June 6–10, 2028: Final World Qualifying Tournament.
• June 26, 2028: Final deadline for Olympic entries.

With only 16 places available in each tournament, competition for qualification is expected to be intense as players target a place in squash’s Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.