South Africa has been named among seven countries currently in discussions with the International Olympic Committee to host the 2036 Summer Olympic Games, putting the country on course to potentially become the first African nation to stage the Olympics.
The IOC confirmed South Africa, Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Korea and Türkiye as the countries currently engaged in continuous dialogue over the 2036 Games. The interested parties have been invited to present their projects to the IOC’s Future Host Commission in November.
A successful South African bid would mark the first time the Olympic Games have been held on African soil. The country has previously hosted major international sporting events, including the 1995 Rugby World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
South Africa’s government began exploring an Olympic bid in 2024 and, in November 2025, Cabinet approved the country’s entry into continuous dialogue with the IOC over a possible bid for the 2036 or 2040 Games.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has said the country’s Olympic ambitions could also serve as a continental project, given that Africa has never hosted the Games.
South Africa’s engagement with the IOC remains part of an exploratory process rather than a final bid. The IOC is expected to assess the interested countries on factors including venue plans, athlete experience, funding strategies, political and public support, Games delivery capacity and long term legacy.
The government has previously highlighted South Africa’s existing sports infrastructure as an advantage. The IOC’s revised approach to selecting hosts also places greater emphasis on sustainability, socioeconomic development and the use of existing facilities, potentially reducing the need for extensive new construction.
South Africa is considering a model that could involve several cities, with Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban identified in reports as possible components of a future Games plan. The final structure, however, has not been determined.
The country is also preparing to host the SportAccord Convention in Cape Town in 2028, which will be the first edition of the global sports industry convention held in Africa. South African officials have described the event as another opportunity to strengthen the continent’s position within international sport.
The IOC is expected to conduct feasibility assessments of the interested parties by March 2027. Countries that progress will enter a more detailed strategic dialogue, with preferred hosts expected to emerge in 2028 and the final host for the 2036 Games expected to be selected in 2029.
For South Africa and the wider continent, the bid represents an opportunity to demonstrate the capacity to stage a global multi sport event while potentially using the Games to strengthen sporting infrastructure, tourism, employment and long term development. Any decision on the bid will ultimately depend on the IOC’s assessment of its feasibility and the country’s ability to meet the requirements of the Olympic host selection process.
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