Qatar and India among seven countries bidding for 2036 Olympics, IOC says

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkQatar hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and the Asian Games in 2006 [File: Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters]By AFPPublished On 6 Oct 20266 Oct 2026Qatar’s bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics has been confirmed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which said India was also among the seven countries in the running.South Africa, Germany, Hungary, Turkiye and South Korea make up the rest of the current list issued by the IOC on Tuesday.Other countries have until October 31 to declare an interest.Qatar hosted the 2022 football World Cup and was home to the 2006 Asian Games, which it will host again in 2030.In March 2027, the IOC Executive Board will draw up a shortlist of the interested parties, who will then enter dialogue with the Olympic body.The IOC said the 2036 hosts would be assessed on factors such as funding and political and public support.“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 in a statement.“That is why, for every future host, delivering the best possible experience for the athletes must always be the starting point,” the Zimbabwean former swimmer added.India has stated its intention to host an Olympics for the first time, centred on Ahmedabad, the key city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat.Ahmedabad will host the 2030 multisport Commonwealth Games, seen as a major rehearsal for an Olympics. The city is also home to the world’s largest cricket stadium.South Africa hosted the 2010 football World Cup and the 1995 Rugby World Cup but has never played host to an Olympics.An Olympics in the Gulf would have to be moved to later than its traditional July-August slot due to the heat.The German National Olympic Committee voted last month to select Munich as its candidate city for a Games that will take place a century after the infamous 1936 Berlin Olympics, which were overseen by the Nazi regime.The Turkish Olympic authorities hope to do one better than in the bidding for the 2020 Summer Olympics, when Istanbul came second to Tokyo.The 2028 Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles, while Brisbane has been awarded the 2032 edition.Preferred hosts ⁠⁠will be named in ⁠⁠2028, and a final decision is expected in mid-2029, the IOC said.