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Austria Now News – Lausanne
The deadline set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for expressions of interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games has expired, leaving the number of contenders at seven, including Qatar, with no additional candidates, the IOC announced.
Who are the contenders?
The German city of Munich is competing with Hungary’s Budapest and Turkey’s Istanbul, alongside bids from Qatar, India, South Korea and South Africa. Munich thus faces six rivals in the race to host the world’s biggest sporting event.
The chair of the IOC’s selection commission, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, said the broad interest in hosting the 2036 Games shows that countries around the world recognise the lasting social and economic value the Games can bring to local communities.
Timeline for the decision
The IOC is expected to decide next March which candidates will advance to the next stage, known as the strategic dialogue. According to sport.ORF.at, the organisation will select one or more preferred hosts in December 2028 to enter the targeted dialogue, with the host of the 2036 Games to be determined in mid-2029 at a general session.
Should the Games not go to Europe, Munich intends to bid again for 2040 or 2044.
An Arab opportunity
Qatar’s bid is the only Arab candidacy among the seven contenders.
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Sources
- sport.ORF.at, Frist abgelaufen: Sieben Bewerber für Olympia 2036, 02.11.2026, https://sport.orf.at/stories/3164392/
