LOS ANGELES RANKED NO. 1 IN THE COUNTRY AND NO. 2 IN THE WORLD ON BCW’S GLOBAL RANKING OF SPORTS CITIES

Dignity Health Sports Park at night
Photo: Dignity Health Sports Park

Ahead of Hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, The City of Angels Named Among The World’s Best Sport Cities and The Top in The U.S.

 

LOS ANGELES (July 28, 2023) – Los Angles Tourism is thrilled to announce that Los Angeles has been recognized as the top sports city in the United States and the second-best sports city in the world by the highly anticipated 2023 Ranking of Sports Cities from leading global communications agency BCW. From new state- of-the-art sports venues to a lineup of high-profile events slated over the next decade, Los Angeles has become a force within athletics, considered by many to be one of the sports capitals of the world. “We are honored that our City of Angels was the top U.S. destination on BCW Global’s prestigious annual ranking of the world’s top sports cities,” said Adam Burke, Los Angeles Tourism President & CEO. “When visitors come to Los Angeles, they can enjoy world-class sporting events and entertainment year-round. With 10 professional sports teams that call Los Angeles home, an unmatched mix of new state-of-the-art stadiums and arenas and an unprecedented decade of sporting events, visitors and Angelenos alike can always find ways to engage with their favorite teams and players.”


BCW’s 2023 Rankings affirm that Los Angeles is an epicenter for sports on the global stage, capturing the attention of the world thanks to partnerships with renowned sports brands, such as the Olympics, FIFA, and major professional leagues. The city offers a host of outstanding new venues introduced over the last five years alone, including BMO Stadium in 2019, SoFi Stadium in 2020, and the soon-to-open Intuit Dome in 2024, making it a compelling destination for competitions of all kinds. Los Angeles also boasts iconic arenas that are recognized throughout the sporting world, such as the third oldest MLB ballpark Dodgers Stadium and the two- time Olympic host venue Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2023.


On the heels of hosting Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the 2022 MLB All Star Game, the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship and the 123rd U.S. Open Golf Championship at the Los Angeles Country Club, Los Angeles is on deck to host even more iconic events in the next decade. The coming years will bring the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball West Region Championship, the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games all to The City of Angels.


“We are proud to see Los Angeles recognized as one of the top global sports cities, and top U.S. city in BCW’s latest global ranking,” said Kathryn Schloessman, Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission President & CEO. “This is a testament to the renowned franchises and world-class venues that call Los Angeles home and the major events that have already delivered more than $1 billion in economic and community impact to the Los Angeles region this decade.”


Los Angeles is a proud home to 10 professional sports organizations – Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Rams, Chargers, Sparks, LAFC, Galaxy, and Angel City FC – boasting more than 30 championships combined. Los Angeles’s professional teams span from celebrated, globally renowned franchises such the Dodgers, the Kings and the Lakers to newly introduced, buzzworthy organizations like the Rams and Angel City FC. In the last several years alone, the Dodgers and the Lakers captured championships in 2020 and the Rams won Super Bowl LVI in 2022, bringing coveted trophies back to LA.


BCW’s 2023 Ranking of Sports Cities ranked the top 100 cities that are most strongly associated with sport from around the world based on a combination of perception-based and in-depth quantitative analysis. The views of International Federation Presidents, Secretaries General, sports industry experts (such as Heads of Events) and more than 300 sports media representatives from around the world were considered, complemented by a digital analysis of the association between sport and a city conducted using the social media analytics tool Brandwatch.


To learn more, visit DiscoverLosAngeles.com or follow @discoverla on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.


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ABOUT LOS ANGELES & LOS ANGELES TOURISM
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) is the non-profit destination marketing and sales organization for the Los Angeles tourism industry and the ultimate resource for where to stay and play in the LA area.


Los Angeles is a dynamic, ever-evolving destination – where diversity thrives, and everyone is welcome. Discover the true LA by exploring its more than 30 culturally rich neighborhoods, each one offering a distinct vibe. LA is home to more than 300 days of warm sunshine, 75 miles of idyllic shoreline, more museums and performing arts venues than any other U.S. city, and an innovative culinary scene led by influential tastemakers. A global creative capital and the epicenter of the sports universe, LA presents limitless possibilities for visitors from around the world.


For more information, visit discoverlosangeles.com or follow us @discoverLA on Threads, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.