Munich up against at least six competitors for 2036 Olympics

Munich's bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics will be up against at least six candidates from Europe, Asia, and Africa. On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that, in addition to Germany, Hungary, Turkey, India, Qatar, South Korea, and South Africa all intend to bid for the Games. All are currently engaged in the "Continuous Dialogue" stage of the bidding process with the IOC.

However, there could be further applicants, as the deadline for interested parties to submit a bid is October 31. The candidates are to present their plans virtually to the Future Host Commission in November. In March 2027, the IOC is to deliberate, analyze, and narrow down the field of applicants to a group selected to enter into the Strategic Dialogue stage.

A subsequent Targeted Dialogue stage with one or more bidders is planned for 2028, with the final decision on the 2036 Olympic host expected at the IOC Session in the summer of 2029.

However, the IOC did not disclose exactly which cities, alongside Munich, are in the running – although Ahmedabad, Doha, Budapest, and Istanbul are seen as possible hopefuls.

Munich secured its bid late last month after beating the Cologne/Rhine-Ruhr region in a vote by delegates of the German Olympic Sports Confederation. The city last hosted the Games in 1972. Berlin had withdrawn its bid in the days leading up to the vote.

'Best possible experience for the athletes'

"Wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do," IOC President Kirsty Coventry said. 

 "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," added the former swimmer who won gold in the 200-meter backstroke for Zimbabwe at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Summer Games.

 "That is why, for every future host, delivering the best possible experience for the athletes must always be the starting point."

Munich bid sees itself as well-positioned

The IOC is to evaluate the bidders' proposals based on "technical factors." These include a master plan for competition venues and the athlete experience, the financing strategy, political and public support, the capacity to deliver the event, and a sustainability strategy. The German Olympic Sports Confederation believes Munich is well-positioned in all these areas.

The Munich bid is not focused solely on 2036 but was also designed with 2040 and 2044 in mind. If it misses out on 2036, Munich can expect to face a similarly large pool of competitors for the following two Summer Games. According to an IOC statement, there are National Olympic Committees "taking part in noncommittal talks with the IOC about hosting future Olympic Games beyond 2036."