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This summer Oklahoma City will host two international tournaments that double as an early test run for venues slated to stage competition during the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Beyond sport, these events will test logistics, draw global attention to local facilities and give athletes the chance to perform on the same fields and courses they could return to as Olympians.
The city’s calendar features the 2026 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships at RIVERSPORT OKC from July 18–25 and the USA Softball International Cup at Devon Park from July 30–August 3. Together, they bring elite competitors and international delegations to venues that LA28 organizers selected for canoe slalom, kayak cross and softball competition.
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The canoe slalom world championships will attract roughly 350 athletes representing more than 60 nations to RIVERSPORT OKC’s whitewater course. As one of the sport’s major qualifying events for the 2028 Olympics, the meet will offer many paddlers their first chance to race on the future Olympic course.
The weeklong program will mix high-stakes racing with public-facing activities: an opening ceremony featuring a Parade of Nations, live music, community art and a local lineup of performers, plus food options and fan zones designed to engage visitors as the competition unfolds.
Back to Devon Park: softball returns
Devon Park, long regarded as a premier softball venue and regular host of the NCAA Women’s College World Series, will welcome top national teams for the International Cup. The tournament — previously billed as the World Cup of Softball — is returning to Oklahoma City for the first time since 2019, giving players and coaches another chance to test themselves on the field earmarked for LA28 softball.
Hosting both events at established sites illustrates why LA28 opted to use Oklahoma City’s existing infrastructure rather than build temporary facilities. The city’s track record with major national and international competitions was a decisive factor in awarding it Olympic events.
Adam Wisniewski, vice president of sports development for Visit Oklahoma City, said these championships are more than competitions: they are practical rehearsals for the scale and complexity of hosting a global Games, and an opportunity to showcase the community’s hospitality to visiting athletes and officials.
- Operational rehearsal: Fine-tuning timing systems, athlete transport routes and volunteer coordination.
- Fan experience: Testing ticketing, concessions, wayfinding and on-site entertainment.
- Media and broadcast: Running international broadcast feeds and accreditation for press.
- Community engagement: Local ceremonies, cultural programming and volunteer recruitment.
For Oklahoma City organizers and residents, these back-to-back events are an opportunity to demonstrate capacity and refine systems ahead of LA28. For athletes and fans, they offer an early glimpse of Olympic-standard competition and the venues that will host it.
With global teams converging this summer, the city will get a practical stress test of everything from transportation and hospitality to crowd management — experience that will be directly relevant when the world returns in 2028.
