India among seven nations invited to present 2036 Olympics bid to IOC
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Tuesday, October 6, that India, Germany, Qatar and Turkiye are among seven countries with a stated interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics, and have been invited to present their Games projects to the IOC's Future Host Commission next month.
"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 Turkiye," the IOC said in a statement, adding that several other National Olympic Committees were also engaged in non-committal talks about hosting future Games beyond 2036.
The IOC said it would not consider any further Interested Parties for the 2036 edition after October 31, and that the projects will be assessed on technical factors including venue master-plans, athlete experience, funding strategy, political and public support, Games delivery capabilities, and legacy strategy aimed at creating long-term benefits for host communities. The body did not share an exact timeline for the November presentations.
Ahmedabad is India's city of choice to host the Games, which have never been held in the country before. India submitted its Expression of Interest in 2024, but the host selection process was subsequently paused by new IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who said fresh feedback would be gathered from member nations to streamline the process. India's negotiations will be led by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in collaboration with the Gujarat government, with support from the Union Sports Ministry. The host of the 2036 Games is expected to be known by mid-2029.
"I was fortunate to compete at five Olympic Games, across four continents. Each had their own character. Each host brought something unique through its people, its culture and the way it chose to stage the Games," Coventry said. "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 IOC had introduced a strategic dialogue stage in June as part of a broader review of its host selection process, aimed at shortlisting "Interested Parties with developed projects." Candidate cities will need to meet criteria around cost control and clear timelines for project milestones. The phase following November's presentations will be Strategic Dialogue, with Targeted Dialogue remaining the final phase of the revamped decision-making process, set to begin in 2028. "During this new transitional stage, they will be expected to provide an initial response to the Future Host Questionnaire and core financial guarantees," the IOC said.
At the end of the Targeted Dialogue, IOC members will receive a report from the Future Host Commission, after which the IOC Executive Board will select Preferred Hosts in mid-2029, to be "put forward for election by the IOC Session to become the host of the 2036 Olympic Games."
