Shanghai will host one stop of the expanded Olympic Q-Series in 2028, the International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday, as the qualification event makes a return to the city that hosted the inaugural edition in 2024.

The four-stop series, formerly known as the Olympic Qualifier Series, will take place between May and June 2028 in Tokyo, Shanghai, Montreal and Orlando. Shanghai's stop is scheduled for May 11 to 14, one week after the opening event in Tokyo.

The Olympic Q-Series will feature six sports: 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, BMX freestyle, climbing, flag football and skateboarding. The sports program for each stop will be confirmed at a later date.

"The Q-Series is an exciting global event on the road to the LA28 Olympic Games," said IOC president Kirsty Coventry. "It's one format, four stops, six sports. The goal is to boost athlete visibility and global fan engagement. We cannot wait for the series to kick off."

"We believe the Olympic Q-Series will be really exciting for fans and for the host cities. The fans will be right there with the action - the festival feel, the sport, music, culture - coming to life in iconic cities. It will be fast paced and high energy, with lots of action, world-class athletes and a huge focus on youth," she added.

The expanded series builds on the success of the inaugural Olympic Qualifier Series in 2024, which included stops in Shanghai and Budapest and featured multiple sports in compact, festival-style urban settings.

The 2028 edition will open in Tokyo from May 4 to 7, a city where 3x3 basketball, BMX freestyle, climbing and skateboarding made their Olympic debuts at the Tokyo 2020 Games. After Shanghai, the series crosses to Montreal from June 1 to 4 at the 1976 Olympic Park, before concluding in Orlando from June 8 to 11.

The Olympic Q-Series serves as a key qualification pathway for the LA28 Olympic Games, offering athletes a decisive opportunity to secure direct quota places shortly before the Games begin.