New Delhi, October 6: India has officially entered the next stage of the race to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirming that the country is among seven nations currently in discussions to stage the Games.
The IOC on Tuesday confirmed that India, Qatar, Germany, Hungary, Turkiye, South Africa and South Korea have expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics. The countries are currently engaged in preliminary discussions with the IOC and have been invited to present their Games projects to the IOC’s Future Host Commission.
For India, the bid carries historic significance as the country has never hosted the Olympic Games. India has been pushing its ambition to bring the world’s biggest sporting event to the country for the first time.
Qatar, meanwhile, is seeking to become the first Muslim-majority country to host the Olympics. The Gulf nation has already staged major global sporting events, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and hosted the Asian Games in 2006.
The other contenders bring their own Olympic ambitions. South Africa is seeking to become the first African country to host the Summer Olympics, while Germany, Hungary and Turkiye have previously pursued Olympic hosting bids. South Korea has already hosted the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988 and the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang in 2018.
IOC to Shortlist Candidates
The current seven-country list is not yet the final field. The IOC is expected to draw up a shortlist in March 2027, following the preliminary dialogue phase, with selected candidates moving into a more detailed strategic dialogue.
The IOC plans to identify its preferred host or hosts in 2028, with the final decision on the 2036 Olympic host expected by mid-2029. The bidding process has been revised to give greater emphasis to dialogue between the IOC and prospective hosts.
The deadline for additional expressions of interest in hosting the 2036 Games is October 31, 2026, meaning the list could still change before the next stage of the process.
The 2036 Olympics will follow the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Summer Games.
For India, the next phase will be crucial as its Olympic dream moves from an expression of interest towards a formal hosting project.
