The International Shooting Sport Federation, following a deep post-Paris 2024 evaluation and months of talks with the IOC, athletes, coaches, officials and partners, has finalized a package of competition-format changes that will be in place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The adjustments, detailed in the upcoming 2026 ISSF Rulebook and already tested at the 2025 ISSF World Cup Final in Doha, touch 10 events and mark one of the most comprehensive overhauls for international competition shooting in years.
Rifle, pistol and shotgun finals will all feel different in LA, starting with how many athletes actually reach the last stage. Every individual final will now feature eight competitors, bumping the field up from six in events such as 25m rapid fire pistol, trap and skeet. The expanded rosters are intended to sharpen competitive drama while keeping the overall length of finals shorter—a dual mandate that mirrors pressures other Olympic sports have faced as the Games evolve for modern broadcast audiences.
Events that debuted their revised finals format in Doha included men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, men’s and women’s 50m rifle 3-position, and men’s and women’s trap and skeet. Those test-run finals served as the proving ground for timing tweaks and presentation concepts that may still see minor adjustments before the LA28 Games.
Mixed-team events—10m air rifle, 10m air pistol and trap—are also getting a structural reboot. Instead of separating medal matches, all four qualified teams will now compete in one integrated final, a shift designed to streamline pacing and provide a more cohesive narrative for spectators and broadcasters. According to the ISSF, the changes were shaped in consultation with Olympic Broadcast Services and Omega, the Games’ technical results provider, in an effort to modernize the sport’s presentation without compromising competitive integrity.
Equipment and officiating standards are also headed for an upgrade. Rifle shooters will contend with new rules on clothing stiffness and fit, while both rifle and pistol athletes will see “live aiming” added to enhance transparency and viewer understanding. Shotgun events will introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology—another nod to sports that have turned to video review to clarify contentious moments in real time.
ISSF said the adjustments reflect how shooting fits within the broader Olympic landscape, weighing the sport’s traditions against the expectations of today’s global audience. The federation expects to publish the full 2026 Rules and Regulations in January 2026, with the draft rulebook already available on its website.
Most Popular
