The KFC Yum! Center, home to Louisville men’s and women’s basketball, will host trials June 16-19, 2028.
Louisville to host 2028 USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials
Louisville is set to become ‘Gymnastics City, USA’ as it prepares to host the 2028 Olympic Trials at the KFC Yum! Center.
- Louisville, Kentucky will host the 2028 USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials at the KFC Yum! Center.
- This marks the first time Louisville has hosted the gymnastics trials since the inaugural event in 1960.
- A formal announcement will be made on April 15 at Churchill Downs Racetrack.
- The event is expected to have a significant economic impact on the city, following other major sporting events.
USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials are coming to Louisville in 2028.
The KFC Yum! Center, home to Louisville men’s and women’s basketball, will host trials June 16-19, 2028. The Louisville Sports Commission will host a press conference at Churchill Downs Racetrack on April 15 for a formal announcement. Among those in attendance will be Gov. Andy Beshear, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and “executives, athletes and hall of fame athletes.”
“In 2028, Louisville will become Gymnastics City, USA, hosting events with all gymnastics disciplines and Congress,” the USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials website reads.
USA Gymnastics has published a landing page confirming the event on USAGymOlympicTrials.com.
Louisville was one of “several communities” that submitted a bid, LSC president and CEO Greg Fante told The Courier Journal in December. This will be the city’s first time hosting the event, which was first held in 1960.
Louisville has hosted a number of high-profile sporting events in recent years, including the 2024 NCAA women’s volleyball championship, the 2023 NCAA men’s basketball regional and the Kentucky Derby every year since 1875. USA Gymnastics has also held its Winter Cup competition in Louisville (at Freedom Hall in 2023 and the Kentucky International Convention Center from 2024-26) each of the last four years.
2028 Olympic Trials could mean big money for Louisville
Each massive sporting event Louisville hosts comes with an even larger economic impact on the city.
These events bring not only the athletes and members of the competing parties, but events like the Kentucky Derby (hosted annually the first Saturday in May) or a major NCAA championship bring tourists who spend money on lodging, transportation, food and other entertainment.
The 2024 NCAA volleyball national semifinals and final, hosted over four days at the KFC Yum! Center, were estimated to have a $12.7 million economic impact on Louisville, The Courier Journal previously reported.
The 106th PGA Championship, which was played in 2024 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, was expected to draw in an estimated 200,000 visitors and generate a $78.5 million in economic impact, The Courier Journal previously reported.
Additionally, the 2026 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, the city’s marquee sporting event, is expected to have a roughly $411.5 million economic impact on Louisville, according to Louisville Tourism.
The KFC Yum! Center brings a unique advantage with its 22,090-seat capacity for hosting events like the NCAA volleyball championship — or soon the USA Gymnastics 2028 Olympic Trials.
Since 2023, sports tourism has become increasingly more common in the metro.
Based on estimates Louisville Tourism published in January 2026, if the 2028 Olympic Trials produce an economic impact greater than $8.5 million, it will rank among the top 16 events based on economic impact the city will host throughout the year. Other major sports related events in the top 16 for 2026 include TFN’s Run 4 Roses Basketball Tournament with $48.4 million, National Archery in the Schools Program Eastern National Tournament with $19.6 million, Junior Volleyball Association World Challenge with $19 million, KIVA Sports Under Armour Bluegrass Tournament with $14 million and Varsity Spirit Dance Super Nationals with $8.5 million.
“As we look ahead to 2026, we’re thrilled to welcome back Louisville’s most iconic and impactful events while also introducing new and dynamic gatherings that further elevate our city’s reputation as a premier destination for world-class experiences,” Cleo Battle, Louisville Tourism president and CEO said in a January release. “Hosting these tradeshows, meetings and events not only demonstrates Louisville’s vital role in driving economic impact but also provides a platform to share our city’s unique charm with visitors from across the globe.”
Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com and follow her on X @petitus25. Subscribe to her “Full-court Press” newsletter here for a behind-the-scenes look at how college sports’ biggest stories are impacting Louisville and Kentucky athletics.
