Olympic Games host selection process made fit for the future: new transitional stage added and 2036 Olympic host to be elected in 2029
A detailed set of reforms on the way Olympic hosts are selected, starting with the 2036 Olympic Games, has been endorsed by the 146th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne today. IOC Members supported the proposal from the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad to introduce a new Strategic Dialogue stage into the selection process and target a date of mid-2029 to elect the host of the 2036 Olympic Games. The changes build on the dialogue approach that was successfully introduced in 2019, which emphasises benefits for the host communities and sustainable projects.
Key facts
- The IOC Session has endorsed reforms to the host selection process, with clear timelines towards electing the host of the 2036 Olympic Games in mid-2029
- Interested Parties will be shortlisted for “Strategic Dialogue” in March 2027 and will have to answer the Future Host Questionnaire and submit core financial guarantees before being considered for the final evaluation stage, known as Targeted Dialogue
- The new process will give a clear timetable for governments and the Olympic Movement, in order to reduce risks and manage expectations
A new transitional Strategic Dialogue stage will allow the IOC Executive Board (EB) to shortlist, for more in-depth evaluation, a number of Interested Parties with developed projects that align with the IOC’s strategic direction.
There will also be increased collaboration between the IOC and shortlisted potential hosts at an earlier stage, with greater involvement from the IOC Members. The reforms had already been approved by the IOC Executive Board at its meeting in early June and are part of the Fit for the Future process, which IOC President Kirsty Coventry initiated when she took office in June 2025.
The review of the host selection process was spearheaded by the Future Host Commission following feedback from IOC Members and Olympic stakeholders, including Interested Parties. They asked for clear timelines and evaluation criteria, and a more gradual progression through the dialogue stages. Increasing the involvement of the IOC membership was also a key part of the feedback received during the process.
Choosing an Olympic host is a powerful and influential decision, which comes with great responsibility. It is therefore important that we make the right choice, through careful and thorough reflection.
These reforms mean that the next selection process, for the 2036 Olympic Games, will now have the following timeline:
March 2027: The IOC EB will shortlist Interested Parties from the Continuous Dialogue pool to enter Strategic Dialogue. During this new transitional stage, they will be expected to provide an initial response to the Future Host Questionnaire and core financial guarantees.
The IOC will offer enhanced technical support and will work with the Interested Parties to optimise their projects. The Future Host Commission will make site visits to the proposed hosts.
Late 2028: The IOC EB will open a Targeted Dialogue with Preferred Hosts, based on a Future Host Commission report with a thorough analysis of the bid files and findings from the Commission’s visits. During the Targeted Dialogue, the Preferred Hosts will have an opportunity to update their submissions to address feedback provided by the Future Host Commission during the Strategic Dialogue. They will also have to submit a full set of guarantees, to give maximum legal and financial security.
At the end of the Targeted Dialogue, the IOC Members will receive a full report from the Future Host Commission.
Mid-2029: The IOC EB will select Preferred Hosts to be put forward for election by the IOC Session to become the host of the 2036 Olympic Games.
Throughout the process, there will be regular touchpoints between the IOC membership, the Future Host Commission and the Interested Parties or Preferred Hosts. These will include presentations at IOC Sessions, and briefings at other times.
“These reforms will give potential hosts greater clarity, and their governments will have a clear timetable to provide the requested support,” said Grabar-Kitarović.