Qatar and Turkey in race to host 2036 Olympics

Qatar and Turkey are among seven nations vying to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, announced the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday. Other contenders include Germany, India, Hungary, South Africa, South Korea, and more. Qatar aims to become the first Muslim-majority country to host this prestigious sporting event, capitalizing on its successful 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The IOC will publish a shortlist in March, select preferred hosts by 2028, and make the final decision by mid-2029. IOC President Kirsty Coventry emphasized the importance of athletes being at the center of the Games, stating that delivering an exceptional experience for athletes should be the primary goal for any host nation. Qatar has bid for the Olympics five times previously, while South Africa seeks to become the first African nation to host.

India and Hungary are also bidding for their first Olympic Games, with South Korea and Germany looking to make their second bids. South Korea, a strong candidate, previously hosted both the summer and winter Olympics in Seoul in 1988 and Pyeongchang in 2018, as well as the 2022 FIFA World Cup alongside Japan. The bidding process now includes a strategic dialogue stage, and it's possible that multiple countries could be named as preferred hosts, unlike in the past when only one bidder was considered.

Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics, while Brisbane, Australia, will stage the Games four years later. The IOC believes that hosting the Olympics brings significant benefits to the host nation, citing Paris 2024's potential to contribute €9-11 billion to the French economy by 2034.