South Africa has officially named Durban as its preferred candidate to host either the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. If successful, the country would become the very first African host in the history of the modern Olympic Games, which began in 1896.
The Selection and Bid Strategy
The announcement was made on Thursday by Lwandile Simelane, acting president of the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee. She explained that while Durban would serve as the primary candidate city, the proposal will likely take the form of a multi-city bid featuring events hosted across other urban centers. Johannesburg and Cape Town were also evaluated before officials selected Durban, the nation’s third-largest city located on the subtropical Indian Ocean coast with a population of approximately four million.
Durban previously drew consideration as a potential Olympic host over ten years ago following the successful staging of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Africa’s first World Cup. However, an official bid never materialized at that time primarily due to financial concerns. Furthermore, the city later lost the hosting rights for the 2022 Commonwealth Games because it failed to provide the necessary financial and regulatory guarantees.
Venues, Costs, and Global Competition
Officials stated that cost estimates for staging the Games are not yet available. The proposed bid will focus around the 56,000-seat Moses Mabhida Stadium, constructed specifically for the 2010 football tournament.
South Africa is competing against six other nations that have expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Games: India, Qatar, South Korea, Germany, Hungary, and Turkiye. National Olympic committees faced an October 31 deadline to declare their official interest to the International Olympic Committee.
The formal bidding process advances next month with virtual presentations to the IOC, followed by a crucial milestone in March when the IOC board is scheduled to approve a shortlist of candidates. The International Olympic Committee will select the host city for the 2036 edition in mid-2029. Previously, Cape Town made an unsuccessful bid for the 2004 Summer Games, while the Youth Olympics are set to open this weekend in Dakar, Senegal, representing the first-ever Olympic sports event held on the African continent.
