IOC confirms India's interest in hosting 2036 Olympics, six other countries in running

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday confirmed India's interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics. It has now been confirmed that seven countries are competing to bring the biggest showpiece event to their turf. The IOC said on Tuesday that India, Germany, Hungary, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Turkiye have expressed an interest in hosting the 2036 Games and will be given an opportunity to present their respective projects to the Future Host Commission in November. The host of the 2036 Olympics will be elected by the IOC members at the IOC session in mid-2029.

The presentations will form part of the IOC’s assessment of the competing proposals. Among the key areas under consideration will be venue planning, the proposed experience for athletes, financing arrangements, political and public backing, the ability to deliver the Games, and plans to create a lasting legacy for host cities and communities.

The IOC has also set a deadline for the current stage of the process. No additional interested parties will be considered for the 2036 edition after October 31.

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“I was fortunate to compete at five Olympic Games, across four continents. Each had their own character,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry in an official statement.

“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," she added.

India's dream

India formally entered the race in 2024 by submitting an Expression of Interest to host the Olympics. However, the process was subsequently paused after Kirsty Coventry became IOC president. Coventry indicated that the organisation wanted to seek further feedback from its members and refine the host-selection framework.

The IOC also revealed that several National Olympic Committees are involved in informal discussions regarding Olympic Games editions beyond 2036. Those talks are separate from the seven nations currently in Continuous Dialogue for the 2036 Games.

For India, the November presentation will provide an opportunity to outline its proposed vision for hosting the Olympics and demonstrate how its infrastructure, funding model, sporting facilities and long-term legacy plans could meet the IOC’s requirements.

The final selection process is expected to assess competing projects against multiple technical and strategic criteria, rather than solely the scale of existing sporting infrastructure. India’s proposal will therefore face scrutiny across a broad range of areas as the race for 2036 gathers momentum.