17 March 2025 - The Qualification System Principles (QSP) for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) and the Participation Principles for the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 were approved today by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB).
LA28 Qualification System Principles
The QSP are designed to help the International Sports Federations (IFs) in the development of their individual qualification systems, and to be consistently applied across all sports.
They are built around the key elements of:
Participation of the best athletes;
Universal representation;
The opportunity for all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to participate;
Fair and equal access to qualification events;
Prioritisation of continental and multi-sport events;
A minimum number of opportunities to qualify; and
A maximum timeframe of two years for the qualification events to happen.
Qualification systems are the regulations established by IFs that consist of rules, procedures and criteria for athletes to be able to take part in the competitions at LA28, subject to final selection by each NOC, upon the recommendation of the respective National Federation (NF).
According to the Olympic Charter, each IF needs to establish its sport’s rules for participation in the Olympic Games, which must be submitted to the IOC EB for approval. The development of the individual sport qualification systems will start in April 2025.
Dakar 2026 Participation Principles
By approving the Participation Principles for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026, the IOC EB reinforced the event’s commitment to universality, gender equality and strong African representation. The revised participation and entries process aligns with the strategic priorities of NOCs and IFs, ensuring an inclusive and merit-based athlete selection system.
Key principles include:
- Ensure the opportunity for the participation of athletes from the territories of 206 NOCs and the IOC .
- Prioritised participation for all 54 African NOCs, and host country representation across sports and disciplines where possible.
- Central management of the athlete quota by the IOC to uphold these principles while maintaining competitive integrity, with a focus on youth development and alignment with existing NOC and IF investment pathways.
- IFs will establish the minimum sporting and eligibility criteria for participation in their respective events at the YOG.
- Equal number of quota places for women and men across the disciplines.
The framework also removes the requirement for YOG-specific qualification events, reducing financial and logistical burdens for NOCs, IFs, NFs and athletes. This structured approach ensures a fair and accessible pathway to participation while strengthening the global impact of the YOG. The Participation Principles for Dakar 2026 can be found here.
