Hungary is officially among the countries in the running to host the 2036 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, with Budapest named as the central location for the proposed Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that Hungary is one of seven interested parties currently in continuous dialogue over the 2036 Olympics. The other candidates are Germany, India, Qatar, South Korea, South Africa and Türkiye.
The interested parties have until 31 October 2026 to formally indicate their interest. They will then present their projects to the IOC’s Future Host Commission in November.
Budapest at the centre of Hungary’s bid
Olympic bids are formally submitted by cities rather than national governments. Hungary has identified Budapest as the main host location for its project.
The other interested parties have also named their proposed host cities: Germany has put forward Munich, India Ahmedabad, Qatar Doha, Türkiye Istanbul, South Korea Seoul and South Africa Cape Town. Qatar’s proposal could also involve neighbouring countries in hosting events.
The IOC says potential hosts will be assessed on several factors, including their venue masterplan, athlete experience, funding strategy, political and public support, ability to deliver the Games and plans for a long-term legacy.
The projects will also be assessed on how well they fit local development plans and the goals of the Olympic movement.
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When will the host be chosen?
The selection process will take several years. The current interested parties will present their projects to the Future Host Commission in November 2026. By March 2027, the IOC is expected to complete feasibility assessments and open a more detailed Strategic Dialogue with the candidates.
The IOC Executive Board will then narrow down the field. In December 2028, the selected Preferred Hosts will enter a final Targeted Dialogue with the IOC and provide detailed plans and financial and legal guarantees.
The 2036 Olympic host is expected to be elected by IOC members in mid-2029.
The IOC says no additional candidates will be considered for the 2036 Games after 31 October 2026.
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A long-standing Budapest ambition
A Budapest Olympics has been a long-standing ambition in Hungarian politics, particularly under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Budapest previously submitted a bid for the 2024 Olympics, but the application was withdrawn in 2017 after the Momentum movement collected around 266,000 signatures for a referendum on the proposal.
Since then, Hungary has continued to develop major sports infrastructure, including the Puskás Arena, MVM Dome, National Athletics Centre and Duna Arena. Budapest has also hosted major international sporting events, including the World Aquatics Championships and World Athletics Championships, as well as European Championship football matches.
These developments have frequently been cited as evidence that Hungary now has much of the infrastructure needed to host an Olympic Games.
What does Budapest’s current Olympic plan look like?
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony has previously said he does not oppose the idea of hosting the Olympics in principle, but has attached conditions to any potential bid.
In September, Karácsony said that the capital’s Olympic concept does not require state spending during the current parliamentary term and does not include the construction of new stadiums. He described the proposal primarily as an urban development strategy focused on improving infrastructure in Budapest and across Hungary.
Under the concept, he said, an eventual Olympic Games would be organised together with as many major cities and other municipalities outside Budapest as possible.
However, Karácsony has also stressed that major projects such as the Olympics are difficult to discuss while Budapest is locked in financial disputes with the central government.
The Tisza government has not yet stated its position
Péter Magyar, now Hungary’s prime minister, previously expressed reservations about an Olympic bid. In 2024, he said Hungary did not need an Olympics under the circumstances at the time, while arguing that the event could become a national project if it had broad public support.
Magyar also previously said that the Tisza Party would only seriously consider an Olympic bid if the government provided additional funding for healthcare, education and social services, restored funding to Budapest and organised a national referendum on the issue.
However, since taking office, the Tisza Party and Prime Minister Péter Magyar have not publicly stated whether they support Budapest’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics, Telex writes.
