South Africa Eyes Historic Bid to Host First African Olympics in 2036

South Africa is seeking to make Olympic history by becoming the first African country to host the Summer Games, with the nation among seven candidates exploring bids for the 2036 Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that South Africa, Hungary, India, Qatar and Turkey are pursuing potential first time hosting bids, while Germany and South Korea are also in discussions despite having hosted previous Summer Olympics.

The seven interested nations are currently engaged in discussions with the IOC as part of the early stages of the selection process. Countries have until October 31 to formally submit their expressions of interest.

Those involved will make virtual presentations to the IOC’s Future Host Commission in November, followed by feasibility assessments expected to be completed by March 2027.

The process will then move into a strategic dialogue stage, allowing the interested national Olympic committees to discuss their proposals in greater detail with the IOC.

South Africa’s proposal is particularly significant because the country hopes to deliver the first Olympics on African soil. Its plan involves sharing the Games between Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, three of the country’s best known cities.

Durban has previous experience pursuing major international sporting events. The city was originally selected to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games but withdrew from the project in 2017 after financial difficulties made the event increasingly challenging to stage.

India’s proposed host city is Ahmedabad, which is scheduled to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and has also expressed interest in staging the 2038 Asian Games.

Ahmedabad has extensive experience with major sporting events and has hosted several Indian Premier League finals at the Narendra Modi Stadium, one of the world’s largest cricket venues.

Qatar has selected its capital, Doha, for its Olympic proposal. The country has already demonstrated its ability to stage major international events after hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with several stadiums located in and around the capital.

Hungary is putting forward Budapest, a city that has strengthened its reputation as an international sporting centre in recent years. Budapest hosted the World Aquatics Championships in 2022 and the World Athletics Championships in 2023.

Turkey’s proposal is centred on Istanbul, which has repeatedly attempted to secure the Olympics. The city previously bid for the 2000, 2008 and 2020 Games but was unsuccessful. Istanbul is also scheduled to host the 2027 European Games.

Germany has a long Olympic history, having staged the Summer Games in Berlin in 1936 and Munich in 1972. Munich is once again being considered as the country’s candidate for 2036.

South Korea’s proposal includes Seoul, which hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, along with North Jeolla province. The country has also hosted the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, giving it extensive experience with Olympic events.

The IOC has also revealed that several other national Olympic committees are holding informal discussions about potentially hosting Olympic Games beyond 2036. These talks do not yet represent formal bids.

The United Kingdom is among the countries considering future opportunities, with the government previously indicating that it was discussing potential bids for Olympic and Paralympic events during the 2040s.

The race for 2036 will unfold under an evolving IOC selection process, with feasibility studies and strategic discussions expected to determine which candidates progress further.

Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics, while Brisbane will stage the 2032 Games, bringing the Olympics back to Australia for the first time in more than three decades.

For South Africa, the 2036 campaign represents a chance to achieve a milestone that has eluded the African continent throughout Olympic history and potentially establish the country as the first African host of the world’s biggest multi sport event.

Courtesy: BBC