India, Qatar and South Africa are among seven countries pursuing the right to host the 2036 Olympic Games, after the International Olympic Committee confirmed the field that has formally expressed interest ahead of the next phase of its host selection process.
Germany, Hungary, the Republic of Korea and Türkiye complete the current group, which is already in Continuous Dialogue with the IOC. Other potential candidates have until October 31, 2026 to enter the process before the field closes.
“The Interested Parties currently in Continuous Dialogue with the IOC, with a stated interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic Games, are (in alphabetical order): Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, Republic of Korea, South Africa and Turkiye,” the IOC said in a statement.
IOC sets pathway towards 2036 host decision
The seven projects will move into a more detailed evaluation process beginning with virtual presentations to the IOC’s Future Host Commission in November 2026. Feasibility assessments are scheduled to be completed by March 2027, when the IOC Executive Board will determine which projects advance from Continuous Dialogue into Strategic Dialogue.
Those progressing will receive additional technical support from the IOC while providing initial responses to the Future Host Questionnaire and core legal and financial guarantees. The Future Host Commission will also conduct visits to proposed host regions before preparing a report for the IOC Executive Board.
The process will narrow further in December 2028, when selected Preferred Hosts are due to enter Targeted Dialogue and submit final questionnaire responses and a complete package of guarantees. IOC Members are expected to elect the 2036 Olympic host at the IOC Session in mid-2029.
The IOC sets out the next phase of the process for selecting the host of the 2036 Olympic Games. 🏅
More details ⬇️
🔗https://t.co/2lGaSkYaUP https://t.co/pICvU1AYnz
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) October 6, 2026
“There are also a number of NOCs taking part in noncommittal talks with the IOC about hosting future Olympic Games beyond 2036. The Interested Parties have been invited to present their projects to the Future Host Commission in November,” the IOC statement added.
India eyes first Olympics with Ahmedabad at centre
India is seeking to stage the Olympic Games for the first time, with Ahmedabad at the centre of its plans. The country submitted an Expression of Interest in 2024, while the Indian Olympic Association is set to work alongside the Gujarat government with support from the Union Sports Ministry during the process.
Ahmedabad will already have experience of staging a major international multi-sport event before 2036, having been selected to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The city is also pursuing the 2038 Asian Games and is home to the Narendra Modi Stadium, which has staged four of the past five Indian Premier League finals.
Several other candidates would also represent first-time Olympic hosts. South Africa is exploring a multi-city proposal involving Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg and could become the first African country to stage the Summer Olympics.
Qatar’s plans are centred on Doha, which hosted the 2006 Asian Games and will stage the event again in 2030. The country also hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Hungary is pursuing a Budapest-based project, while Türkiye has put forward Istanbul. The Turkish city has previously made unsuccessful bids for the 2000, 2008 and 2020 Olympics and is scheduled to host the 2027 European Games.
Germany and South Korea target another Games
Germany and the Republic of Korea are the two interested parties with previous experience of hosting the Summer Olympics.
Munich is at the centre of Germany’s 2036 plans, having previously staged the Games in 1972. Germany also hosted the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
South Korea’s project involves Seoul and North Jeolla province. Seoul previously hosted the Olympics in 1988.
The IOC will assess the competing projects across a range of areas rather than focusing solely on proposed venues. Its evaluation criteria include the venue masterplan, athlete experience, funding strategy, political and public support, delivery capabilities and plans to generate lasting benefits for host communities. Projects will also be considered against their broader vision, local development objectives and alignment with the Olympic Movement.
Athlete experience central to IOC evaluation
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in an IOC media release: “I was fortunate to compete at five Olympic Games, across four continents. Each had their own character. Each host brought something unique through its people, its culture and the way it chose to stage the Games. But wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do. As an athlete, you spend years working to make your Olympic dream come true. The experience you have when you finally reach the Olympic Games stays with you for the rest of your life. That is why, for every future host, delivering the best possible experience for the athletes must always be the starting point.”
The selection framework forms part of the Olympic Movement’s “Fit for the Future” reforms, which were approved by the IOC Executive Board and endorsed by the 146th IOC Session in Lausanne in June 2026. It builds on the dialogue-based host selection system introduced in 2019.
Los Angeles will stage the next Summer Olympics in 2028, followed by Brisbane in 2032. The identity of the city or region following them in 2036 is scheduled to be decided by IOC Members in mid-2029.
