Seven Countries Aim for 2036 Olympic Games, South Africa Bids to Host

The race to host the 2036 Olympic Games has intensified, with seven nations demonstrating their interest to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Among these, South Africa has expressed a desire to become the first African nation to stage the summer Olympics.

According to the IOC, the countries engaged in this competitive process include Hungary, India, Qatar, and Turkey—all aspiring to host the Olympics for the first time. Additionally, Germany and South Korea are also in negotiations with the IOC, having previously hosted the Games.

A deadline of 31 October has been established for these nations to formally submit their interest. Following this, virtual presentations are planned for November, where they will showcase their proposals to the IOC's future host commission. Feasibility assessments by the IOC are expected to be completed by March 2027.

Once initial assessments are done, the national Olympic committees that have indicated an interest in hosting will enter a strategic dialogue phase with the IOC. South Africa's bid is particularly noteworthy, proposing to host events across three cities: Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg. Notably, Durban had intended to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022 but withdrew from the event in 2017 due to financial constraints.

In India's bid, Ahmedabad has been nominated as the host city. This city is set to welcome the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and has made a bid for the 2038 Asian Games as well. Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium is prominent with a capacity of 132,000, named after the current Prime Minister of India.

Budapest and Doha serve as the selected cities for Hungary and Qatar's respective proposals. Qatar gained significant international recognition after successfully hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, capitalising on its modern stadium infrastructure, while Budapest is known for staging international events like the 2022 World Aquatics Championships and 2023 World Athletics Championships.

Istanbul is the designated city for Turkey's bid, despite previous unsuccessful attempts to host the Olympics in 2000, 2008, and 2020. The city is also set to host the 2027 European Games.

Germany has historical ties to the Olympics, having previously hosted in Berlin (1936) and Munich (1972). The current bid is focused on Munich for 2036. South Korea's bid involves Seoul, which previously hosted the Games in 1988, alongside the province of North Jeolla.

In addition to these bids, the IOC has confirmed that various national Olympic committees are exploring future hosting possibilities beyond 2036. In May, the UK government indicated that it is engaged in discussions about potential bids for the Olympics and Paralympics in the 2040s.

The 2028 Olympic Games are set to take place in Los Angeles, California, while Brisbane, Australia, will host the Olympics for the first time in 32 years in 2032.