--- title: "NOCs and surfers qualify for LA28 surfing in Los Angeles, USA; 48 surfers total; host quotas, universality." sdDatePublished: "2026-09-09T13:07:00Z" source: "https://www.olympics.com/en/news/how-to-qualify-surfing-la28-olympics-qualification-system-explained" topics: - name: "surfing" identifier: "medtop:20001070" - name: "Olympic Games" identifier: "medtop:20001177" - name: "sport" identifier: "medtop:15000000" locations: - "Orange" - "Los Angeles" - "California" - "Mineola" - "Canada" - "Australia" - "Brazil" - "Japan" - "France" - "United States" --- NOCs and surfers qualify for LA28 surfing in Los Angeles, USA; 48 surfers total; host quotas, universality. How to qualify for surfing at LA28 Olympics: The qualification system explained How to qualify for surfing at LA28 Olympics: The qualification system explained How does surfing qualification for the LA28 Olympics work? Find out the key things you need to know about the format, key events, athletes to watch, and number of competitors due to compete. Olympic surfing at Los Angeles 2028 will feature 24 male and 24 female athletes for a total of 48 surfers . This includes at least one athlete of each gender from the host nation USA and one athlete of each gender to fill two universality places. Athletes can secure quota spots for their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or by name at a number of events or the World Surf League Championship Tour ranking. Quota places are obtained by NOCs at the 2026 ISA World Surfing Games and the 2027 World Surfing Games . Quota places are obtained by athletes by name at the 2026 Asian Games , 2027 ISA World Surfing Games , 2027 Pan American Games , 2027 European Surfing Championships , 2028 ISA World Surfing Games and the 2027-28 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour combined ranking. An NOC can have a maximum of four athletes, two per gender, competing at the LA28 Olympic Games. This number could increase to three per gender for the highest-ranked national teams at the 2026 and 2027 ISA World Surfing Games. Women's Final | Surfing | Olympic Games Paris 2024 The Women's Surfing Final was held on 06 2024 at Teahupo'o, Tahiti. Caroline Marks (USA) claimed the Gold, Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) Silver and Johanne Defay (FRA) Bronze. Surfing qualification at LA28 Olympics: Key facts There will be two medal events for surfing at LA28: the men's and women's shortboard. Both competitions will feature 24 athletes. Quota places for LA28 will be distributed in two ways: (1) to athletes by name and (2) to National Olympic Committee (NOC) teams . 2027 ISA World Surfing Games 2028 ISA World Surfing Games 2027-28 World Surf League Championship Tour combined ranking 2026 ISA World Surfing Games Each NOC can have a maximum of four representatives in the LA28 surfing competition (two of each gender). This number could increase to three per gender for the highest-ranked national teams at the 2026 and 2027 ISA World Surfing Games. The United States receives two quotas, one male and one female, through host nation allocation . There will also be two universality places , one per gender, allocated through the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Tripartite Commission. The qualification pathway begins in September 2026 at the Asian Games and wraps up when the World Surf League Championship Tour ranking period ends on June 2028. The final Olympic entries deadline is 26 July 2028. Kauli Vaast: "Everything is possible when you believe" Kauli Vaast has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on Teahupo’o, from the fear he felt surfing the infamous reef break as an eight-year-old to the joy that overwhelmed him when he won an Olympic gold on it at 22. Two years on from that triumph, the surfer said that becoming an Olympic champion has not changed him as he remains the “same kid” who enjoys his sport, stays humble and believes that anything is possible. How does surfing qualification for the LA28 Olympics work? As the host nation, the United States has a minimum of two quotas in the surfing competition. NOCs need to obtain quotas through the various qualifier events or ranking points. Sixteen quotas (eight per gender) for the eight highest-ranked athletes of each gender in the World Surfing League's Championship Tour ranking between 15 August 2027 and 15 June 2028 with a maximum of one per NOC. Fourteen quotas (seven per gender) to the seven highest-ranked athletes of each gender, with a maximum of one per NOC, at the 2028 ISA World Surfing Games. Ten quotas (five per gender) to the highest-ranked athlete from each of the continental championships - the 2026 Asian Games, 2027 Pan American Games, and 2027 European Surfing Championship. For Africa and Oceania, the highest-ranked athletes from each continent will obtain quotas based on the results of the 2027 ISA World Surfing Games. Two quotas : The highest-ranked team per gender at the 2026 ISA World Surfing Games will earn one place for their NOC. Two quotas : The highest-ranked team per gender at the 2027 ISA World Surfing Games will earn one place for their NOC. Two quotas (one per gender): Eligible NOCs will be able to submit requests to the International Olympic Committee for universality places from 1 October 2027 to 15 January 2028. The IOC's Tripartite Commission will confirm the allocation of universality places after the end of the qualification period, with one universality place per gender available to an eligible NOC. Men's Final | Surfing | Olympic Games Paris 2024 The Men's Surfing Final was held on 06 2024 at Teahupo'o, Tahiti. Kauli Vaast (FRA) claimed the Gold, Jack Robinson (AUS) Silver and Gabriel Medina (BRA) Bronze. How many athletes will compete in surfing at LA28? There will be a maximum of 48 athletes, 24 per gender, taking part in the surfing competition at LA28. To be eligible to participate at LA28, athletes must comply with the Olympic Charter currently in force, including nationality requirements, anti-doping regulations, and the eligibility rules established by the International Surfing Association (ISA). While there are no age requirements for surfers, all competitors must be in good standing with their National Federation and the ISA, in accordance with the ISA Rule Book in force at the time of the Olympic Games. Caroline Marks exclusive: Why the Olympics have been huge for surfing - and me The Paris 2024 surfing gold medallist re-lives her emotional win at Teahupo'o: "To win in Tahiti is really special to me. I just love that place so much. It’s so magical," Caroline Marks told us. "I was hitting the grateful button a lot over there, for sure." What is the LA28 surfing competition format and schedule? At LA28, the surfing competition will take place from 15 July to 18 July at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California, and possibly extend into the contingency days from 19 July to 23 July. The competition format is similar to Paris 2024 where there were also 24 athletes of each gender taking part. Athletes will compete on shortboards, going through a minimum of two rounds, after which the top surfers are seeded into a bracket. The surfer with the highest score from the judges in the two-athlete bracket heats advances to the next round. Surfers to watch at LA28 Olympics* U.S. women have won gold at both Olympic surfing competitions thus far with Carissa Moore taking the title at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 and Caroline Marks extending that winning streak at Paris 2024. Both surfers are in great form with less than two years left until Los Angeles 2028, Moore leading the WSL Championship Tour rankings with four stops left in 2026. The five-time WSL world champion returned to the tour at the start of the year after giving birth to her first child in February 2025. While USA already has at least one quota – and a possible maximum of three – in the women’s surfing competition for LA28, the battle for that spot will be tight given the depth of the team. San Clemente native Sawyer Lindblad is among the most motivated to take that spot, especially as she has no Olympics on her resume yet. Caitlin Simmers , who hails from Oceanside just south of San Clemente, is another strong contender. The 20-year-old did not reach the result she wanted at Paris 2024, but avenged for that when she won the world title later the same year. Canadian aerial sensation Erin Brooks is one of the most exciting surfers of the new generation. At 19 years old, she continues to progress at a quick rate and is picking up momentum en route to LA28. One of the world’s surfing powerhouses, Australia has yet to win an Olympic medal in the women’s competition, but there are a number of surfers who could break that barrier in two years, such as 2025 WSL champion Molly Picklum, who is looking to go to her second Olympic Games. Teen phenom Erin Brooks: "I want to surf like the men" Canada's surfing prodigy Erin Brooks has come into the spotlight for her impressive aerial skills - something she shares in common with her idols and mentors Gabriel Medina and Italo Ferreira. Olympics.com spoke to the 16-year-old about the multi-sport training regime that helps her fly high, sharing workout sessions with skateboarding star Sky Brown, and proving the haters wrong. On the men’s side, the Brazilian storm is as mighty as ever with four surfers from the South American region in a tight fight for their NOC’s Olympic quotas. Tokyo 2020 champion Ítalo Ferreira and 2025 WSL world champion Yago Dora missed out on Paris 2024, but are on a streak of top results as they look ahead to Los Angeles 2028. Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medallist and three-time world champion Gabriel Medina is looking to soar even higher at the next Olympics, with Lower Trestles offering the perfect stage for his signature aerials. USA's Griffin Colapinto is among the top contenders to make the home team for LA28 and, if he does, could produce real magic as Lower Trestles is his home wave. Two-time world champion Filipe Toledo is also closely familiar with the point break, having lived in San Clemente for many years before deciding to move back to Brazil in spring 2026. Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi grew up surfing at Huntington Beach, just north of Lower Trestles. With the 2026 Asian Games kicking off the qualification pathway, the Tokyo 2020 silver medallist could become the first surfer to earn an Olympic quota for LA28. Find out more about the qualification system for other sports that will feature at Los Angeles 2028. *As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective teams at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the LA Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at LA28. Picture by Ben Thouard - Pool 14 - 30 July 2028 LA 2028 | Olympic Games | USA