All The Cities Vying To Host The 2036 Summer Olympics (So Far)

Who wants to host an Olympics? Only three Asian nations — Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea — have ever hosted the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, but that could change come 2036. A truly worldwide contest is taking shape for the cities and countries looking to host the Summer Games after Brisbane in 2032.

So far, this competition is striking for its lack of western European contenders. Hungary and Germany have both expressed vague interest, and Copenhagen has devoted 67,000 euros to funding “a preliminary study of holding the Olympics,” but none of the three has made a confirmed bid to the International Olympic Committee the way five other cities have.

The striking skyline of Doha, Qatar, a candidate city for the 2036 Olympic Games. Proponents say Doha has the infrastructure to host a Summer Games, as well as sports stadiums to spare. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)

AFP via Getty Images

Despite the IOC’s efforts to streamline it in recent years, the Olympic application process remains drawn-out and suspenseful. The IOC doesn’t want cities feeling bad about themselves — part of the new procedures for selecting Olympic host cities stem from a desire “to avoid producing too many losers,” as its former President Thomas Bach put it.

What this means is that the application process looks somewhat different, being more focused on what the IOC terms as a “permanent, ongoing dialogue” between candidates and the Games organizer, more multi-round job interview than college application. Whereas the Games of the past have been hosted by a single city, there is now leeway for a cluster of cities or even an entire region to host the Games — case in point, the French Alps’s winning bid for the 2030 Winter Games.

So who’s up for 2036? Five cities have established confirmed bids so far, with at least five more expressing strong interest in hosting. If not this time around, we may hear more from these cities in the future.

Meet the candidates

Doha, Qatar. Arguably the sports capital of the Middle East, Doha has developed the infrastructure and has proven itself as a host that can be counted on to deliver a well-organized event. Doha has bid several times to no avail, though it has hosted the World Championships for all of the Games’s top-tier sports — track and field, gymnastics, and swimming — within the past decade. Its 2036 bid could be bolstered by playing the sustainability card, since there is no shortage of venues, nor of hotel space: the city of Doha itself has nine soccer stadiums, a legacy of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. For 2036, the Qatar Olympic Committee has promised a project that “reflects the country’s long-term commitment to excellence and sustainability in sport.”

Doha Bay with the skyline of the city in the background taken from the Museum of Islamic art ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Ahmedabad, India. The world’s most populous country has hankered after a Games for decades. New Delhi hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010 but logistical struggles have kept it from being a serious contender. Initial talks about a 2036 bid focused around Ahmedabad, the thriving capital of Gujarat state and the country’s fifth-largest city. French President Emmanuel Macron has backed India’s bid and promised knowledge transfer from the experts who put together the Paris Games. While there was some discussion about a multi-city approach, Ahmedabad has finally emerged as the nominee, with Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha underlining that a Games would have a “generational impact for all Indians.”

A fan cheers while watching the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between South Africa and Afghanistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)

AFP via Getty Images

Istanbul, Turkey. Like Doha, Istanbul is no stranger to bidding for the Games (2036 marks bid number six), but infrastructure questions have always plagued the Bosporus city. (Istanbul is a place where getting from point A to point B a traveler could conceivably use all methods of transportation, from subway to car to boat to bus). Istanbul’s plan includes proving itself to the IOC by hosting a number of complex multisports events, including the European Games and European Para Championships in 2027, as it strives to prove itself to the IOC. The Turkish have been effusive about the population’s desire to host a Games. “The enthusiasm of our citizens is the heartbeat of our bid,” Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu declared last year.

Seagulls fly over a Turkish flag in Istanbul Turkey, which has bid for the Olympics several times to no avail. Still, Istnabul’s mayor says that hosting the Games is a dream shared by all residents of the city. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Nusantara, Indonesia. A relative newcomer to the bidding ball, Indonesia is the world’s fourth-largest country by population and considered a sleeping giant when it comes to sport. The Indonesian Olympic Committee put Nusantara forward for 2032, but the bid did not advance far, perhaps because Nusantara is still under construction. Last October Dito Ariotedjo, Indonesia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, said Bach had expressed interest in the nation hosting the 2030 Youth Olympic Games as a stepping stone to the 2036 Olympics. Is Indonesia ready for an Olympics? “I believe we are capable of hosting the Olympics, as long as we’re serious (in preparation),” Ariotedjo said. An option where sports are spread out over other Indonesian cities, including Jakarta and Palembang, is also being explored.

This aerial view shows the the new Indonesia’s future Presidential Palace (C) in the future capital city of Nusantara. As the city is still under construction, it may be a trifle early for it to be considered for a Games, but organizers are already thinking big. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Santiago, Chile. The 2023 Pan American Games hosts propose to welcome the world to a place where Olympic events could unfold in the shadow of the Andes. South America’s sole Olympics was Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and with growing confidence, the Chileans have put themselves forward as the nation that could bring the Olympics back to the continent. “Chile has the right to dream bigger,” declared President Gabriel Boric, who opened the Pan American Games.

Fireworks go off around the National Stadium during the Pan American Games Opening Ceremony in Santiago on October 20, 2023. Chile’s President has spurred his country to think “bigger” about hosting an Olympics. (Photo by Javier TORRES / AFP)

AFP via Getty Images

While the five above have confirmed that they will bid for the 2036 Games via their national Olympic committees, a number of other candidates could still emerge. These include South Korea’s North Jeolla Province, which stunned when it defeated capital Seoul as the nation’s choice for host candidate earlier this year. An Egyptian city may also submit a bid, while Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has signed on to host the first Olympic Esports Games in 2027opening the door for future events.

Ultimately, the decision will come down to the IOC membership, a body of more than 100 distinguished people from around the world who will ultimately vote for a winner. New IOC President Kristy Coventry, still settling into the job, seems in no rush to make any large-scale decisions. The IOC members could vote as early as next year, but that seems unlikely at this point — the identity of the next Olympics host city will probably be announced in 2027 or 2028.