India's bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games has advanced to the next phase after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) published a detailed selection roadmap on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, confirming that India is among seven interested parties currently in formal dialogue with the global sports body. The IOC's Executive Board is scheduled to shortlist candidates for the next stage by March 2027.

Seven Nations in the Frame

According to the IOC, the seven nations currently in continuous dialogue over their interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic Games are India, Germany, Hungary, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, and Türkiye. The competition is notably broad, spanning four continents and mixing established sporting powers with first-time Olympic host aspirants.

India's formal engagement began on 1 October 2024, when the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) submitted a Letter of Intent to the IOC's Future Host Commission, officially expressing the country's desire to stage the Games for the first time in its history.

How the Selection Process Works

The newly published handbook lays out a multi-stage process with clearly defined milestones. Interested parties will make virtual presentations to the Future Host Commission in November 2026, followed by feasibility assessments to be completed by March 2027. The IOC Executive Board will then open a Strategic Dialogue with shortlisted projects.

The process enters its most decisive phase in December 2028, when the Executive Board will launch a targeted dialogue with a select group of preferred hosts. Those preferred hosts will subsequently submit final responses and a full set of guarantees before IOC Members elect the 2036 host at an IOC Session scheduled for mid-2029. Notably, the IOC has set 31 October 2026 as the hard deadline for any new interested parties — no additional bids will be considered after that date.

What India Will Be Assessed On

India and the other bidders will be evaluated across several technical and strategic parameters, including their venue masterplan, athlete experience, funding strategy, political and public support, Games delivery capabilities, and long-term legacy plans. Projects will also be scored on how their vision aligns with local development priorities and the broader objectives of the Olympic Movement.

This is a more holistic framework than older IOC selection models, which were criticised for favouring spectacle over sustainability. India's bid will need to demonstrate not just infrastructure readiness but a credible economic and legacy case.

IOC President's Message on Athlete Experience

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a five-time Olympian herself, underscored the athlete-first philosophy that will guide host selection. 'I was fortunate to compete at five Olympic Games, across four continents. Each had their own character,' she said in an official statement.

'Each host brought something unique through its people, its culture and the way it chose to stage the Games. But wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do. As an athlete, you spend years working to make your Olympic dream come true. The experience you have when you finally reach the Olympic Games stays with you for the rest of your life. That is why, for every future host, delivering the best possible experience for the athletes must always be the starting point,' Coventry added.

What This Means for India

Hosting the Olympics would be a historic first for India, a country that has never staged the Summer or Winter Games despite being among the world's most populous nations. The bid carries enormous symbolic weight — and equally large logistical ambition. India would need to demonstrate readiness across venues, transport, accommodation, and governance within a competitive field that includes countries with prior Olympic hosting experience. The next immediate test arrives in November 2026, when India makes its virtual presentation to the Future Host Commission.