IOC Sets Out Seven Candidates, Next Steps for Hosting 2036 Olympics
The International Olympic Committee has set forth a handbook for potential hosts of the 2036 Olympics, of which seven candidates have stepped forward.
The IOC has set an Oct. 31, 2026, deadline for interested parties. Each interested host will give virtual presentations in November, and the IOC will conduct feasibility assessments ahead of a March 2027 opening of dialogue between the IOC Executive Board and candidate cities/regions.
Parties from the following National Olympic Committees have confirmed to have expressed interest:
The IOC set out the process steps at its June 2026 Executive Board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. It builds on changes from recent editions that were introduced in 2019. Among the factors that will be used to determine candidacy are:
- venue masterplan and athlete experience
- funding strategy
- political and public support
- Games delivery capabilities
- legacy strategy to create long-term benefits for host communities
Potential hosts will be narrowed down, in IOC parlance, to “Preferred Hosts” for “Targeted Dialogue” by December 2028 with a targeted decision in mid-2029.
The 2028 Summer Olympics are coming up in Los Angeles. The 2032 Games will be in Brisbane, Australia.
“I was fortunate to compete at five Olympic Games, across four continents. Each had their own character,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a press release this month. “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.”
