Seven nations enter continuous dialogue

The International Olympic Committee announced on 6 October 2026 that seven nations have formally entered the continuous dialogue phase to host the 2036 Summer Olympic Games. The current applicant field consists of Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey. Potential bidders face a firm deadline of 31 October 2026 to submit their declarations of interest before the registration window closes. The Lausanne-based organisation published a procedural handbook outlining the selection process, which will culminate in an Olympic host vote in mid-2029. The newly structured timetable represents the first contested multi-nation bidding race since the 2017 process that determined hosts amid concerns over escalating infrastructure costs. While the formal roster remains open until the end of the month, committee officials do not expect late submissions due to the technical complexity of assembling bid files.

The multi-stage selection timetable

The IOC selection process replaces previous awarding methods used for the 2030, 2032, and 2034 Games, which were awarded between six and eleven years in advance. In November 2026, applicant delegations will present their initial plans through virtual presentations to the Future Host Commission, led by Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović. The IOC executive board will evaluate feasibility assessments in March 2027, reducing the applicant pool to launch a strategic dialogue phase that incorporates site inspections. In December 2028, Olympic officials plan to select preferred candidates to advance to targeted dialogue, requiring binding government guarantees and refined venue plans. A general vote at the IOC Session in the summer of 2029 will formally decide which city hosts the 2036 Games.

Candidate bids across Europe, Asia, and Africa

The applicant field features proposals that would bring the Olympics to new territories or return the event to previous host venues. India submitted a letter of intent in October 2024 centered on Ahmedabad, where the Narendra Modi Stadium stands, with plans to use the 2030 Commonwealth Games as an operational benchmark. Qatar proposes a Doha-centered bid with potential co-hosting across neighboring Persian Gulf states, following its hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, though high summer temperatures would require rescheduling outside the traditional July and August window. Germany selected Munich after confederation delegates chose the Bavarian capital over the Cologne and Rhine-Ruhr region, marking a potential return to the city that hosted the 1972 Games. Hungary has explored a regional model linking Budapest with Vienna and Bratislava, while Turkey proposes Istanbul, South Korea puts forward Seoul following its 1988 Games, and South Africa weighs a bid across Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg.

Athlete priorities and future Olympic cycles

The 2036 selection marks the first host determination overseen by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the Zimbabwean double Olympic swimming champion elected in March 2025. Coventry addressed the requirements that candidate evaluation teams will prioritize during upcoming assessments.

“Wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do.”

The evaluation criteria established in the handbook include venue master plans, financing models, athlete experience, and demonstrated political and public support. All seven bidding nations have also indicated interest in staging the 2040 or 2044 Olympic Games if their 2036 bids fall short. Those future cycles have drawn noncommittal discussions from several additional national committees, including Poland, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom.

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