IOC sets 2036 Olympics host selection timeline as India remains in race

India is among seven Interested Parties in continuous dialogue with the IOC, with technical assessments beginning in 2027 before the host is elected at the IOC Session in mid-2029.

Updated : Oct 06, 2026 15:37 IST , CHENNAI - 4 MINS READ

A symbol installed for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 on a barge is moved away from its usual spot by tugboats off the Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. The five Olympic rings floating on a barge in Tokyo Bay were removed for what is being called “maintenance,� and officials says they will return to greet next year's Games. The Tokyo Olympics have been postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic and are to open on July 23, 2021. The Paralympics follow on Aug. 24. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) | Photo Credit: Hiro Komae

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday revealed the next steps for selecting the host of the 2036 Games by publishing a handbook for potential hosts.

The handbook sets out the full pathway towards the host election and the requirements for Interested Parties to be considered in order to pass through each stage of the selection process.

The principles of the process were approved by the IOC Executive Board (EB) and endorsed by the 146th IOC Session in Lausanne in June 2026, as part of the Olympic Movement’s “Fit for the Future” reforms.

The 2036 Olympic Games projects will be assessed on a number of technical factors such as:

venue masterplan and athlete experience, funding strategy, political and public support, Games delivery capabilities, and legacy strategy to create long-term benefits for host communities.

They will also be evaluated on strategic elements such as their vision for the Games and their alignment with both local development plans and the goals of the Olympic Movement.

“I was fortunate to compete at five Olympic Games, across four continents. Each had their own character,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry. “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 changes to the selection process build on the dialogue approach that was successfully introduced in 2019, and which is overseen by the Future Host Commission.

There is strong interest in hosting future Olympic and Paralympic Games in part due to the successes of recent editions. For example, Paris 2024 changed lives for the people of Paris and France, and will bring an estimated net contribution to the Île-de-France economy of EUR 9 to 11 billion by 2034.

The IOC is in Continuous Dialogue with a number of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and their partners, who have been working on a Games plan and vision for several months or years. During the Continuous Dialogue, the IOC has delivered a series of virtual technical workshops to the Interested Parties to help them develop their projects in terms of venue masterplan, funding strategy, and vision, impact and legacy. Their projects are being technically evaluated by the IOC, supported by independent reports and public opinion polling.

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 Türkiye. 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. For this reason, after 31 October 2026 no other Interested Parties will be considered for 2036.

Timeline to select the 2036 Olympic Games host

The next steps for the Interested Parties currently in Continuous Dialogue with the IOC, with a stated interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic Games, are:

31 October 2026: No other Interested Parties will be considered for 2036 after this date November 2026: Virtual presentations by the Interested Parties to the Future Host Commission By March 2027: IOC Feasibility Assessments March 2027: Opening of 2036 Strategic Dialogue by the IOC EB

During the new Strategic Dialogue, the IOC will offer enhanced technical support to the Interested Parties, as they provide an initial response to the Future Host Questionnaire and core legal and financial guarantees. The Future Host Commission will carry out site visits to the proposed host regions and produce a report for the EB.

In December 2028, the EB will open a Targeted Dialogue with a select number of Preferred Hosts, who will provide a final response to the questionnaire and a full set of guarantees.

The host of the 2036 Olympic Games will be elected by IOC Members at the IOC Session in mid-2029.