South Africa among seven countries invited to present 2036 Olympic bids

South Africa is among seven countries invited to present proposals for the 2036 Olympic Games in November, opening a route towards what would be the first Olympics held in Africa. According to the Guardian, the presentations to the International Olympic Committee's future bid committee form an initial stage of a selection process scheduled to conclude with a vote in 2029.

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Qatar, India, Hungary, Turkey, Germany and South Korea are the other countries asked to make presentations. The field is not yet closed: the IOC said additional countries interested in staging the 2036 Games have until the end of October to confirm their intentions. The November meetings therefore come after that deadline, rather than representing a final choice of preferred hosts.

South Africa's proposal would probably involve Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, the Guardian reported. That possible spread of venues remains a feature of the prospective bid, not a confirmed Olympic hosting arrangement. The country is seeking to bring the Games to a continent that has not previously staged them, while competing against proposals from Asia and Europe.

The IOC set out its evaluation framework in a handbook published on Tuesday. Assessment will cover venues, the experience offered to athletes, political backing and public support. Bidders must also demonstrate the capacity to stage the Games and provide a lasting legacy, alongside presenting their broader Olympic vision. These factors will sit within a process involving further technical examination before the eventual host vote.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry emphasised athlete experience in remarks accompanying the framework. Drawing on her participation in five Olympics across four continents, she said each edition had reflected its host's people and culture, but athletes should remain the central consideration wherever the event takes place. She identified the experience delivered to competitors as the starting point for future organisers.

The next published milestones extend well beyond November's presentations. The IOC said feasibility assessments would be conducted by March 2027. In December 2028, its executive board is due to begin targeted dialogue with a smaller group of preferred hosts. A vote in summer 2029 will then determine where the 2036 Olympics are staged; no host has yet been selected.