IOC confirms seven bids for 2036 Olympics, with Munich, Budapest and Istanbul among them

Seven bids remain after the deadline

The International Olympic Committee said on Monday, 2 November, that seven countries remain in the race to host the 2036 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. The announcement followed the close of the application window on 31 October, and no other national Olympic committee had applied by that date. The IOC also stated that it will accept no further candidacies from now on.

Who is in the race

The seven bids come from Munich in Germany, Budapest in Hungary and Istanbul in Turkey. They are joined by Qatar, India, South Korea and South Africa. Munich therefore has to compete against six rivals. The list is unchanged from the IOC's first statement on the process, issued on 6 October.

Timeline to a 2029 decision

The IOC expects to decide in March 2027 which candidates advance to the next phase, known as the Strategic Dialogue. Negotiations with each interested country start in 2027, and candidates must present financial guarantees for the Games by early 2028. In December 2028 the committee is expected to select one or more preferred hosts for the Targeted Dialogue, the stage that follows. Negotiations are due to conclude late in 2028, and a general assembly is expected to name the 2036 host in mid-2029.

The reform behind the process

The IOC presents this selection as the first Olympic host choice made under its Fit for the Future reform. Kirsty Coventry, the IOC president, leads the long-term strategy, which aims to keep the Games modern, financially stable and environmentally sound. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, an IOC member who chairs the commission for future hosts, said the high level of interest shows that countries see lasting social and economic value in hosting the Games. She added that the IOC will continue to work with all seven interested parties as they prepare their proposals.

Munich's fallback plan

RP Online reported that if Europe does not win the 2036 Games, Munich would bid again for 2040 or 2044. The Munich bid faces Budapest, Istanbul and four other candidacies, and the field stays as it is until the IOC's March 2027 decision on which candidates advance.