Qatar confirms bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games

Tuesday 22 July 2025 - 16:55

Qatar has officially confirmed its candidacy to host the 2036 Summer Olympic Games, reinforcing its ambition to position itself as a major global hub for sports. The announcement was made Tuesday by Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and head of the bid committee.

“We currently have 95% of the required sports infrastructure in place and a comprehensive national plan to be 100% ready,” he stated in an official release. This declaration underlines Qatar’s readiness to take on one of the world’s largest sporting events, just a few years after hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

If successful, Qatar would become the first country in the Middle East and North Africa region to host the Olympic Games. Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani emphasized the historic nature of the bid, calling it “an opportunity to make history for our region.”

Unlike past Olympic bidding processes, the new selection system—introduced when Brisbane was awarded the 2032 Games—allows for confidential, non-public discussions between interested countries and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Qatar had previously been a contender for the 2032 Games, signaling long-term commitment to the Olympic movement.

Former IOC President Thomas Bach had revealed that a “double-digit number” of countries are vying for the 2036 and 2040 editions, including India, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, and Hungary. Many of these nations have made their intentions public.

With recent Olympic host cities rotating between continents—Paris 2024 (Europe), Los Angeles 2028 (North America), and Brisbane 2032 (Oceania)—Asia appears to be a strong contender for 2036. However, the possibility of Africa hosting the Olympics for the first time remains open.

The decision on the 2036 host will be one of the key responsibilities of Kirsty Coventry, the new IOC President who assumed office on June 23. Coventry has already initiated a review of the selection process, aiming to define a new timeline for host city announcements, which no longer follow the traditional seven-year lead rule.