India, Qatar among bidders hoping to host 2036 Olympics

India, Qatar, and five other countries — including South Africa, South Korea, Germany, Hungary and Turkey — have expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) plans to select a host in 2029 and is also discussing potential bids for the 2040 and 2044 Games. “But wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: Athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a two-time swimming gold medallist. The IOC set an October 31 deadline for other countries to join the 2036 Olympic hosting race and recently released guidelines for the bidders. India plans to centre its bid on Ahmedabad, which will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and is home to the world’s largest cricket stadium, named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Qatar’s experience hosting major sporting events, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup, strengthens its Olympic bid. However, hosting the Games would likely require changing the traditional July–August schedule because of the region’s climate. South Korea plans to base its Olympic bid in Seoul and hold events across the country, while Germany has selected Munich, host of the 1972 Summer Olympics, as its candidate city. South Africa plans to centre its Olympic bid on Cape Town, which would make it the first African host of the modern Summer Games. Hungary is proposing Budapest while Turkey is proposing Istanbul. The IOC plans to shortlist Olympic bidders in March for detailed proposals, with the final host selection scheduled for 2029. This timeline is later than expected, as India and Qatar had previously pushed for an earlier decision. Coventry paused the IOC’s fast-track Olympic host selection process in 2025 after members called for greater involvement and a contested vote with multiple candidates. The IOC membership includes sports officials, athletes, politicians, business leaders, royals and actress Michelle Yeoh.