South Africa has selected the coastal city of Durban as its preferred candidate to host the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, in a move that could bring the Olympics to Africa for the first time.
The announcement was made on Thursday, Oct. 29, by Lwandile Simelane, acting president of the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC). Durban will serve as the main candidate city, although the proposal is expected to adopt a multi-city approach, with some events staged in other parts of the country. Johannesburg and Cape Town were also considered during the selection process.
The proposed bid is expected to make use of existing sporting infrastructure, including Durban’s 56,000-seat Moses Mabhida Stadium, built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Under the multi-city approach, other venues in Johannesburg and Cape Town could also host selected events.
SASCOC officials said the country was still developing its proposal and could not yet provide an estimate of the potential cost of hosting the Games. The organisation has also received Cabinet support to pursue the bid.
Durban was previously considered as a possible Olympic host after South Africa staged the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first edition held on the African continent. However, an official bid did not materialise, largely because of concerns about the financial requirements. The city also lost the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games after failing to meet the required financial and other guarantees.
South Africa is among seven countries exploring bids for the 2036 Olympics, alongside India, Qatar, South Korea, Germany, Hungary and Türkiye. National Olympic committees interested in hosting the 2036 Games have until Oct. 31 to formally declare their interest.
The interested parties are expected to make virtual presentations to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in November. The IOC is expected to approve a shortlist of candidates in March 2027, with the host city for the 2036 Games scheduled to be selected in mid-2029.
If successful, South Africa would become the first African country to host the Summer Olympic Games, marking a significant milestone for the continent’s participation in global sporting events.
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