Qualification routes confirmed for Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee Executive Board has approved shooting sport's qualification system for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The ISSF established a proposal based on the Qualification System Principles approved by the IOC Executive Board in March 2025, committing to criteria such as: participation of the best athletes, universal representation, opportunity for all National Olympic Committees to participate, fair and equal access to qualification events; and a maximum two-year timeframe for all qualification events to happen.

Shooting sport's qualification pathway was one of 26 sports on the programme to be approved in the meeting, which covers 15 events: six each for men and women, and three mixed team events.

There will be equal allocation of places for men and women, each receiving 170 quota places for a total of 340. 316 of these will come from individual quotas, 12 for the host country, and 12 universality places. There will be a maximum of 24 athletes selected per National Olympic Committee: 12 men and 12 women, with a maximum of two athletes in each individual event.

Athletes wishing to compete at LA28 must have achieved a Minimum Qualification Score (MQS) in one or more events in designated qualifying competitions, only achieved in elimination or qualification rounds of Olympic events in ISSF World Championships, ISSF World Cups, ISSF World Cup Finals, ISSF Grands Prix, continental championships, continental games or specially designated qualifying competitions between 31 July 2026 and 1 May 2028.

The top three in each Olympic event at the 2026 ISSF World Championship in Doha, Qatar, as well as the 2027 ISSF World Championships in Daegu, Republic of Korea and Cairo, Egypt, will earn quota places for their National Olympic Committee, to a maximum of two spots. In the event that this has already been achieved, the next highest-ranked athlete will obtain the place.

The winner of each ISSF World Cup in 2027 - or the next best-placed athlete - will also secure a quota for their National Olympic Committee. This means 72 quota places will be determined in ISSF World Championship events and 48 in ISSF World Cup events.

There will be five quota places secured per event at the European Championship and European Games, for a total of 60; while one spot will be secured per event at the Oceanian Championship, for a total of 12.

The Asian Championship and Asian Games will see a total of 54 qualifiers, with five each in 10m air rifle, 10m air pistol and 50m rifle 3 positions, and four each in 25m rapid-fire pistol, 25m pistol, skeet and trap. The CAT Championship and Pan American Games will match Asia with four quota places in the latter, but with three in the 10m air rifle, 10m air pistol and 50m rifle 3 positions, for a total of 42 spots. The African Championship and African Games will qualify 16 athletes: two across 10m air rifle and 10m air pistol, and one across the rest.

After this, 12 athletes - one in each event - will qualify via the Olympic Ranking as of 1 May 2028. Only via this and universality allocation will these quota spots be directly given to the athlete and not through the National Olympic Committee.

Athletes can only obtain one quota place for their NOC. For example, the same athlete winning the 2026 and 2027 ISSF World Championship would mean the next best-ranked athlete in the 2027 competition would take their quota spot. An NOC can only gain one quota place per event at one ISSF World Championship. If one country takes all spots on the podium, second and third will have their quota spots deferred to the next best-ranked athletes.

At any other ISSF Olympic Qualifying Competitions, an NOC can obtain up to two quota places in any individual event.

For mixed team events, teams must be made up of athletes who have qualified for and are eligible to enter and compete in the respective 10m and trap individual events. If the number of rifle and pistol mixed teams exceeds the limit of firing points in one qualification relay, the Olympic ranking will determine the final entry list, combining the two athletes' points totals. This system also exists for the mixed team trap event, which will select the top 18 teams.

Each event will have one quota dedicated to a home athlete, assuming they have the required MQS. For universality places, eligible NOCs must submit their requests by 15 January 2028, following invitation from the IOC on 1 October 2027.

The ISSF will publish a list of quota places for each individual event and the NOC that has secured this, during the qualifying period. There will also be an updated Olympic Ranking on the website for each of the 12 individual events.

Unused quota places - returned via double starting athletes or by being declined - will be reallocated to the next highest-ranked athlete in the Olympic Ranking as of 1 May 2028. Slightly different rules apply for returned qualification places, host country places and universality places.

All unused quota places will be reallocated by the ISSF by 11 June 2028 and the sport entries deadline for the Games will be 26 June 2028, ahead of LA28, taking place from 14 to 30 July 2028. More details on the qualification system for LA28 can be found on the competition page for the Games here.