So, you’re wondering what will happen in 2028? Well, you can put away the crystal ball and dusty tarot cards, because a few of the year’s biggest events are already locked in, and they are massive. For starters, 2028 is a US Presidential Election year, so get ready for that 24/7 news cycle. But the real party is happening in California, as the Summer Olympic Games return to Los Angeles for the first time in a generation.
But that’s not all. We’re also slated to take a giant leap in space by sending a major mission to the moon and a new probe to our “evil twin,” Venus. Throw in some wild new sports, AI that gets scarily smart, and a global soccer tournament, and 2028 is shaping up to be one for the history books. Let’s break it down.
Key Takeaways
Here’s the 2028 cheat sheet in 30 seconds or less:
- US Presidential Election: 2028 is a major election year. The race for the White House will kick off, setting the political agenda for the rest of the decade.
- The Olympics Come Home: The 2028 Summer Olympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California. This is the third time LA has hosted (previously 1932 and 1984).
- New Sports Debut: Get ready for five new (and returning) sports at the LA Olympics, including flag football, cricket, and lacrosse.
- We’re Going to the Moon (and Venus!): NASA’s Artemis program has a major mission, Artemis IV, scheduled for 2028 to help build the Lunar Gateway space station. A separate probe, VERITAS, will also launch to map Venus.
- Tech Gets Personal: AI will likely become less of a toy and more of a true personal assistant, while health tech could see breakthroughs in mRNA vaccine technology for non-viral diseases.
- Yes, It’s a Leap Year: For all the calendar nerds, 2028 is a leap year, meaning February will have 29 days.
The 800-Pound Gorilla: The 2028 US Presidential Election
You can’t talk about 2028 in the United States without mentioning the elephant (and donkey) in the room. November 2028 will see the 61st US presidential election. Regardless of what happens in the 2024 election, this race will mark a new chapter in American politics.
The Post-2024 Political Landscape
By the time 2028 rolls around, the political stage will be completely reset. We’ll either be at the end of a second-term presidency (with that person ineligible to run again) or at the end of a one-term presidency. This opens the field wide up for new faces and new ideas.
The campaigns will likely kick off in earnest in 2027, but 2028 will be the year of primaries, conventions, and non-stop political ads. The core issues will likely still be the economy, foreign policy, and healthcare, but a new topic will almost certainly be front and center.
The (Very) Early List of Potential Names
Let’s be clear: this is pure speculation, which is half the fun. No one has officially announced, but political analysts are already buzzing about who might throw their hat in the ring.
On the Democratic side, names like California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Vice President Kamala Harris are frequently mentioned. On the Republican side, you might hear names like Ohio Senator J.D. Vance or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis floated as potential contenders.
Again, it’s way too early to know, but these are the figures many are watching as the next generation of party leaders.
The New Issue on the Ballot: AI
Here’s the new-in-2028 twist: this will likely be the first presidential election where Artificial Intelligence is a core campaign issue.
Think about it. By 2028, we’ll have four more years of AI development. Voters and politicians will have to grapple with:
- Job Automation: What’s the plan for jobs lost to AI?
- Regulation: How do you regulate something that’s changing so fast?
- Deepfakes: How will campaigns handle video and audio deepfakes that are indistinguishable from reality?
It’s a brand new political battleground that will define the 2028 race.
Let the Games Begin! The 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics
This is the big one, folks! From July 14 to July 30, 2028, the world’s eyes will be on Los Angeles as it hosts the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad. This is a huge deal—the first Summer Games on US soil since Atlanta in 1996.
LA’s Triumphant Return (For the Third Time)
Los Angeles is no stranger to the Olympic spotlight. It hosted the games back in 1932 (during the Great Depression) and again in 1984 (an iconic, commercially successful games).
But LA28 is different. The city’s big promise is a “no build” Olympics. Instead of spending billions on new stadiums that might be abandoned later, LA is using its existing world-class venues. Think SoFi Stadium, the Rose Bowl, and Crypto.com Arena, as well as facilities at UCLA and USC. It’s a plan focused on sustainability and fiscal responsibility.
Meet the 5 New Kids on the Block
One of the most exciting parts of any Olympics is the new sports. The LA28 organizers have added five sports to the lineup, and they’re pretty awesome:
- Baseball/Softball: A classic American pastime (and a major pro sport in Asia) makes its return to the Games.
- Cricket (T20): This is huge. As one of the most popular sports on the planet, cricket’s fast-paced T20 format is set to be a massive global draw.
- Flag Football: Yes, you read that right! With the full backing of the NFL, this non-contact version of American football will make its Olympic debut.
- Lacrosse (Sixes): A modern, lightning-fast “six-a-side” version of a sport with deep Indigenous roots in North America.
- Squash: After years of trying, the fast-paced racket sport finally gets its well-deserved spot on the Olympic stage.
How Tech Will Change How You Watch
By 2028, the way we watch sports will be totally different. Forget just watching on your TV. We’re talking about an experience powered by 5G, AR, and VR.
Imagine using AR glasses to see a live overlay of player stats as they run down the field. Or, use a VR headset to get a “court-side” seat for the basketball final, all from your living room. The 2028 Olympics will be as much a tech showcase as an athletic one.
5 Major Tech & Science Leaps: What Will Happen in 2028
Beyond the guaranteed events, 2028 is also a checkpoint for the future. Here are five major advancements in science and tech that are scheduled or very likely to hit by then.
1. Your AI Best Friend Gets Way Smarter
By 2028, AI will move from “fun toy” to “indispensable assistant.” The chatbots we use today will look like ancient history. We’re talking about proactive, personal AI.
Imagine an AI that doesn’t just answer your questions but anticipates your needs. It scans your emails and flags the three you actually need to read. It sees a traffic jam on your calendar commute and automatically suggests leaving 15 minutes early. It will be less of a search engine and more of a personal chief of staff.
2. We’re Going Back to the Moon (For Good)
This isn’t just a prediction; it’s on NASA’s official schedule. The Artemis program is NASA’s plan to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon, and 2028 is a critical year.
The Artemis IV mission is slated to launch in late 2028. This is the first crewed mission to the Lunar Gateway, a brand-new, small space station that will orbit the Moon, not the Earth. This station will be the staging point for future landings and, eventually, missions to Mars.
3. …And We’re Sending a Probe to Venus!
While the Moon gets all the love, NASA is also giving some attention to Earth’s “evil twin.” The VERITAS mission is scheduled to launch around 2028.
VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy) is an orbiter that will travel to Venus and create the first high-resolution, 3D global maps of its surface. Scientists are desperate to know why Venus, a planet so similar in size to Earth, turned into a toxic, 900-degree hothouse. VERITAS will give us the answers, and you can get the VERITAS mission overview straight from NASA.
4. Self-Driving Cars: Are We Finally There Yet?
Okay, we’re not going to have flying cars by 2028. And you probably won’t be able to buy a car that fully drives itself (Level 5) at your local dealership.
However, 2028 is very likely to be the year that Level 4 autonomous “robotaxis” become a normal part of life in several major cities. Companies like Waymo and Cruise are already operating in places like Phoenix and San Francisco. By 2028, this technology will likely have expanded, meaning hailing a car with no driver will be a real, scalable service.
5. The Doctor Is… an App?
The medical world is moving just as fast. Following the massive success of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, researchers are hard at work applying that technology to other diseases. By 2028, we could see the first mRNA-based vaccines for diseases like cancer, heart disease, or malaria in late-stage clinical trials.
On a more daily basis, your smartwatch will be a powerful health monitor. By 2028, wearables will likely be able to track things like blood-glucose levels (non-invasively) and give you even earlier warnings for conditions like atrial fibrillation.
The Global Vibe: Economy, Sports, and More
What else is happening in the world? Let’s look at the global forecast.
The 2028 Economic Vibe: “Steady but Slow”
Nobody has a perfect economic crystal ball (if they did, they’d be on a private island). But projections from major groups like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) suggest a “return to normal.”
After the wild inflation and interest rate hikes of the early 2020s, the 2028 economy is expected to be much calmer. The consensus forecast is for “steady but slow” growth. This means inflation should be back under control, but we might not see a massive economic boom, either. Think “stable” and “predictable,” which, after the last few years, sounds pretty good.
Mandatory Table: Economic Guesses (With a Grain of Salt)
Here’s a quick look at what the optimists and pessimists are predicting for 2028.
| Economic Indicator | Optimistic Prediction for 2028 | Pessimistic Prediction for 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Global GDP Growth | Returns to robust pre-2020 levels (3.5%+) | “Stagflation-lite” with sticky inflation (2.5% or lower) |
| Tech Industry | The AI boom creates millions of new jobs in new fields | AI automation leads to significant job displacement and turmoil |
| Housing Market | Interest rates stabilize, bringing affordability back | High prices and rates continue to lock out new buyers |
For the Sports Fans: UEFA Euro 2028
The Olympics isn’t the only global sports party. For all the soccer fans, June and July 2028 will feature the UEFA Euro 2028 tournament.
This one will be especially fun for a US audience to watch, as it’s being co-hosted by the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) and the Republic of Ireland. Expect historic stadiums, rainy-day drama, and some of the most passionate fans in the world. You can find more details on the UEFA Euro 2028 Wikipedia page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where are the 2028 Summer Olympics?
The 2028 Summer Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles, California. The opening ceremony is scheduled for July 14, 2028. This will be the third time LA has hosted the Summer Games (after 1932 and 1984) and the first Summer Games in the US since 1996.
Who is likely to run for president in 2028?
It is too early to know for sure, as no one has officially announced their candidacy. However, political analysts are watching several high-profile figures. Potential names often discussed for the Democratic party include Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris. For the Republican party, names like J.D. Vance and Ron DeSantis are frequently mentioned. This is all speculation until the campaigns begin.
What new technology will we have in 2028?
Expect to see much more advanced and personal AI assistants integrated into your phone and work life. In space, NASA is scheduled to launch Artemis IV, a crewed mission to the new Lunar Gateway space station. You can also expect autonomous robotaxi services (Level 4 self-driving cars) to be more widely available in major cities.
Is 2028 a leap year?
Yes! 2028 is a leap year. This means the month of February will have 29 days instead of the usual 28. The last leap year was 2024, and the next one will be 2032.
Conclusion
So, what will happen in 2028? It’s not a mystery—it’s a blockbuster. It’s a year where two massive, culture-defining events collide: a high-stakes US presidential election and the world’s biggest party, the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
But 2028 is also a checkpoint for the future. It’s a year where we’ll literally reach for the Moon with the Artemis program, while our technology here on Earth gets smarter, faster, and more integrated into our lives than ever before. From flag football in SoFi Stadium to astronauts docking at a lunar space station, 2028 is set to be a year of major milestones. Mark your (newly-29-day-in-February) calendars.
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