South Africa hope to host first African Olympics

What the report says

South Africa has entered the International Olympic Committee’s early process for the 2036 Summer Games, according to reporting cited by Nile Post from BBC Sport. If successful, it would become the first African country to host the Olympics. The South African concept centers on a multi-city plan involving Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.

The IOC said seven countries have shown interest in the 2036 race and are in ongoing talks with the organization. Interested national Olympic committees must submit expressions of interest by 31 October, with virtual presentations scheduled for November. IOC feasibility assessments are due by March 2027, after which formal strategic dialogue would follow. Other countries moving forward include Hungary, India, Qatar and Turkey, while Germany and South Korea are also in discussions.

The report noted that Durban had previously been selected to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games before withdrawing in 2017, highlighting both South Africa’s prior experience with major sporting bids and the challenges involved in staging large events. More broadly, the IOC’s timeline shows that the 2036 competition is still in an early, exploratory stage rather than a finalized bid race.

For context, the Olympics have never been held in Africa, so a South African bid would carry symbolic significance beyond the sporting event itself. The eventual host for 2036 will be chosen after further evaluation and negotiations with the IOC.