Atlanta, Georgia – Nearly three decades after Atlanta became the center of the sporting world, one of the most memorable symbols of the 1996 Olympic Games is preparing to return. The Olympic flame will come back to Atlanta in 2028, giving the city a rare chance to reconnect with a moment that still defines its Olympic legacy.
This time, Atlanta will not simply be another stop along the route. It will be the first U.S. city to receive the flame before the Olympic Torch Relay begins its journey across all 50 states and ultimately reaches Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic Games.
LA28 announced the plans Tuesday at Atlanta City Hall, where Mayor Andre Dickens joined Olympic officials and figures closely connected to the 1996 Games.
“Atlanta was proud to carry the flame in 1996. We will be proud to welcome it back,” Dickens said.
The relay is expected to begin in spring 2028. From Atlanta, the flame will travel across the country before heading west to Los Angeles, creating a direct connection between two American Olympic host cities separated by more than three decades.
Tuesday’s announcement also brought together people behind one of the most recognizable scenes from the Atlanta Games. Four-time Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans attended alongside Lonnie Ali and Billy Payne, who led the organizing committee for the 1996 Olympics.
Evans played a central role in the Opening Ceremony 30 years ago. She carried the Olympic flame to Muhammad Ali, who then lit the cauldron in a moment that became one of the defining images of the Atlanta Games.
For Lonnie Ali, the flame’s return carries a deeply personal connection.
“I’ve never forgotten what Atlanta gave him that night, gave our family that night,” she said.
The 1996 ceremony placed Muhammad Ali before a worldwide audience as he lit the cauldron, while Atlanta marked its place in Olympic history as host of the Centennial Olympic Games. Now, that same symbol will return as the United States prepares for another Summer Olympics.
More details about the 2028 relay are still expected as planning continues. What is already settled, however, is where the American journey will begin.
Before the flame crosses the country and reaches Los Angeles, Atlanta will once again have the first opportunity to welcome it.
As Evans said during Tuesday’s announcement, “The road to Los Angeles starts right here in Atlanta.”
