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3 min readMumbaiJun 25, 2026 08:00 AM IST
For India, which formally entered the race through the Indian Olympic Association and is currently engaged in continuous dialogue with the IOC's Future Host Commission, the first major checkpoint will come in March 2027. (AP/File)
India’s ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games will be tested in March next year when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decides whether it progresses to the next stage of the host selection process.
The IOC on Wednesday approved a revamped roadmap for choosing future Olympic hosts, setting out a structured timeline that will culminate in the election of the 2036 host at an IOC Session in mid-2029. Under the new process, interested bidders will first go through a continuous dialogue phase before a shortlist of preferred candidates is drawn up in the first quarter of 2027.
For India, which formally entered the race through the Indian Olympic Association and is currently engaged in continuous dialogue with the IOC’s Future Host Commission, the first major checkpoint will come in March 2027. Only bidders selected for the next phase will be invited into what the IOC calls ‘strategic dialogue’, involving detailed evaluations of venues, governance structures, financing plans and delivery capabilities.
The IOC’s new framework marks a departure from the system that awarded the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Olympics more than a decade in advance. Under IOC president Kirsty Coventry, the organisation has opted to restore a competitive bidding process with multiple candidates remaining in contention deeper into the cycle.
According to the timeline approved by IOC members, shortlisted candidates will face further scrutiny through 2027 and 2028. Site inspections, legal commitments, financial guarantees and operational assessments will form part of the evaluation process before a ‘targeted dialogue’ phase in late 2028. In mid-2029, the final recommendation will made to IOC members. The winning host is expected to be elected in 2029, seven years before the Games are staged.
India is among several countries interested in hosting the 2036 Olympics, with rivals including Qatar and other emerging candidates. Ahmedabad has emerged as the centrepiece of India’s proposed bid, with the country positioning the Games as a key element of its broader sporting and infrastructure ambitions.
An Indian delegation comprising officials from the IOA and Gujarat government are currently in Lausanne, presenting their case on the sidelines of the IOC Session.
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