India, Qatar and South Africa are among seven countries interested in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics, the International Olympic Committee confirmed Tuesday.
Germany, Hungary, Turkiye and South Korea complete the current list. Other countries have until October 31 to declare their interest.
The announcement identifies interested parties, rather than a final shortlist. The IOC Executive Board will select countries in March 2027 to advance into a more focused strategic dialogue.
The Olympic body will assess proposals against several factors, including funding, political backing and public support. Athlete experience will remain central to the process.
“Wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said.
“That is why, for every future host, delivering the best possible experience for the athletes must always be the starting point,” the Zimbabwean former swimmer added.
The IOC has also published a handbook setting out the next stages for potential hosts. Qatar’s Olympic Committee confirmed its participation after the announcement, describing the process as a revised route towards selecting the 2036 host. Qatar Olympic Committee
India targets Ahmedabad, Qatar faces heat challenge
India wants to host the Olympics for the first time, with its proposal centred on Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
The city lies in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state and houses the world’s largest cricket stadium. Ahmedabad will also host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, offering a major test of its ability to stage a multi-sport event.
Qatar brings experience from hosting the 2022 football World Cup. However, allegations of corruption within FIFA later overshadowed the process that awarded that tournament.
Summer temperatures present another challenge for a Gulf Olympics. Organisers would need to move the Games beyond the traditional July-August window to avoid the region’s extreme heat.
South Africa, meanwhile, hopes to bring the Olympics to the African continent for the first time. It previously staged the 2010 football World Cup and the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Those tournaments provide major-event experience, although South Africa has never hosted an Olympics.
Munich and Istanbul seek another opportunity
Germany’s National Olympic Committee selected Munich as its candidate last month. The city previously hosted the 1972 Summer Games.
A German Olympics in 2036 would fall exactly a century after the Berlin Games, which took place under the Nazi regime.
Turkish Olympic officials hope Istanbul can improve on its unsuccessful campaign for the 2020 Games, when it finished second to Tokyo.
Hungary also seeks its first Olympics. South Korea has hosted both editions of the event, staging the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul and the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang.
Reuters reported that the IOC expects to identify preferred hosts in 2028, with a final decision anticipated in mid-2029.
Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics, followed by Brisbane in 2032. The 2036 edition remains the next Summer Games without a confirmed host.
