India and Qatar are among seven countries that have formally told the International Olympic Committee (IOC) they want to stage the 2036 Summer Olympics. The IOC confirmed the field on Tuesday and set a member vote for 2029, ending months of quiet lobbying and putting a contested race back in front of the full membership.
India and Qatar have long been treated as the early favourites. More than 100 IOC members will cast the ballot, including Nita Ambani of India’s richest family and Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. South Africa, South Korea, Germany, Hungary and Turkey are also in talks. The IOC said those conversations also cover a possible Games in 2040 or 2044, so a country that misses out on 2036 is not automatically out of the next cycle.
“But wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: Athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a two-time Olympic swimming champion.
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