2036 Olympic Games Host Race Intensifies as Seven Countries Seek Hosting Rights
Seven countries are competing for the opportunity to host the 2036 Olympic Games, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prepares to assess their proposals and determine which candidates advance.
The countries interested in hosting the global sporting event are Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Türkiye, according to the IOC.
The IOC has released a host selection handbook outlining the requirements, assessment procedures and deadlines for countries seeking to organise the 2036 Olympics. The guidelines support its ongoing reforms.
The selection process will begin with virtual presentations in November 2026, when interested parties will introduce their proposed projects to the IOC Future Host Commission for preliminary assessment.
Following the presentations, the commission will examine the feasibility of each proposal before the IOC Executive Board determines which candidates can proceed to the next stage.
By March 2027, the Executive Board is expected to identify candidates for a Strategic Dialogue, allowing the IOC to provide technical guidance as countries develop their hosting plans.
During this phase, prospective hosts must respond to the Future Host Questionnaire and provide the necessary legal and financial guarantees required to demonstrate their readiness for the competition.
The Future Host Commission will also visit proposed host regions to assess their infrastructure, available resources and organisational capacity, helping determine whether each candidate can deliver a successful Olympic Games.
The process is expected to reach another important stage in December 2028, when selected preferred hosts will enter a Targeted Dialogue and submit detailed proposals alongside comprehensive guarantees.
IOC members are expected to elect the host country for the 2036 Olympic Games in mid-2029, following assessments designed to identify the strongest and most sustainable hosting proposal.
The evaluation will consider venue availability, athlete experience, financial arrangements, political and public support, operational capacity and the long-term benefits each project could deliver to its host communities.
The IOC will also examine how the proposed Games would support local development priorities while advancing the broader objectives of the Olympic Movement and creating lasting benefits beyond the competition.
Among the seven candidates, India hopes to host the Olympics for the first time, while South Africa is pursuing an opportunity to make history as Africa’s first Olympic host nation.
Qatar is also seeking hosting rights after organising the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2006 Asian Games, events that strengthened its profile as an international sporting destination.
Germany is seeking another chance to stage the Summer Olympics, having previously hosted the competition in Munich in 1972, while Hungary and Türkiye are pursuing their own Olympic ambitions.
The Republic of Korea brings previous Olympic hosting experience, having staged the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
However, the seven countries are not guaranteed a place in the final selection, as the IOC will determine which proposals meet its requirements at each stage of the process.
The deadline for additional interested parties to enter the process is October 31, 2026, leaving room for other potential candidates to express interest before the next assessments begin.
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