Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea and Türkiye are the seven countries in talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. The list of potential hosts comes with a timeline setting the first shortlist for March 2027 and the final election for mid-2029. All seven projects remain in the Continuous Dialogue phase, so their inclusion does not guarantee that they will advance to the next stage.
The deadline for new interested parties to join the process is 31 October 2026. In November, they will present their projects to the Future Host Commission, which is responsible for assessing potential Olympic hosts. The deadline will define the field the IOC will consider for this edition, although the organisation is also holding talks about Games beyond 2036.
March 2027 marks the first cut
The main change to the procedure is an intermediate Strategic Dialogue phase, which builds on the dialogue-based model introduced in 2019. Feasibility assessments are due to be completed by March 2027, when the Executive Board will decide which projects advance. The IOC’s newly published handbook sets out the pathway applicants must follow before reaching a vote by its members.
The assessment will cover the venue masterplan, athlete experience, funding, political and public support, and the ability to deliver the Games. The anticipated long-term benefits for host communities will also be examined. These criteria will be considered alongside each proposal’s alignment with local development plans and the goals of the Olympic Movement.
Kirsty Coventry, the IOC President, has placed athletes at the centre of that assessment. “Athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do”, she said. The experience of those competing is therefore an explicit criterion for assessing proposals, alongside their financial and organisational viability.
Guarantees before the election
Projects advancing to Strategic Dialogue must submit an initial response to the Future Host Questionnaire and the core legal and financial guarantees. During this phase, they will receive enhanced technical support from the IOC, while the Future Host Commission will visit the proposed host regions and prepare a report for the Executive Board. The Board will then decide which applicants make the next cut.
In December 2028, Targeted Dialogue is scheduled to begin with a select number of Preferred Hosts, who must submit their final responses and the full set of required guarantees. The host will be elected by IOC members at a Session scheduled for mid-2029. Before that vote, the Executive Board’s decisions will determine which projects remain in contention.
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