Durban selected as South Africa’s candidate for Olympic bids in 2036 and 2040

South Africa has selected Durban as its preferred city to bid for the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympic Games, in a bid to bring the event to Africa for the first time.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) announced the decision on Thursday, saying the government had backed the proposal following Cabinet approval.

SASCOC is expected to present the proposal to the International Olympic Committee’s Future Host Commission in November, with feasibility assessments expected to conclude in March 2027. The host of the 2036 Games is scheduled to be elected in mid-2029.

If successful, South Africa would become the first African country to host the Summer Olympics. The proposal is expected to take a multi-city approach, with Cape Town and Johannesburg potentially hosting some events.

Durban was awarded the 2022 Commonwealth Games but lost the hosting rights in 2017 after the Commonwealth Games Federation found that key commitments on governance, venues and funding had not been met.

The Olympic proposal remains at an early stage and must pass the IOC’s host-selection process before a host is chosen.