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

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 30, 2026

South Africa has chosen Durban as its preferred city to bid for the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2036 or 2040, potentially making it the first African host of the Games. This move underscores South Africa's goal to demonstrate its ability to organize major international sporting events while competing against six other nations for the 2036 host selection.

South Africa has selected the coastal city of Durban as its preferred candidate to host the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in either 2036 or 2040, marking the first time the continent could host the Games. The announcement was made on Thursday by Lwandile Simelane, acting president of the South African Olympic Committee.

Durban, the country’s third-largest city, will lead the bid, although officials indicated that the proposal will likely take the form of a multi-city effort, with some events potentially held in other South African cities. Johannesburg, the nation’s economic center, and Cape Town were also considered as possible candidates before the final decision.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is scheduled to select the host city for the 2036 Summer Olympics by mid-2029. South Africa’s declaration of interest came ahead of the IOC’s October 31 deadline for national Olympic committees to formally submit their bids.

South Africa’s ambitions to host the Olympics follow its hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first time the tournament was held on the African continent. Durban was originally viewed as a potential Olympic host more than a decade ago but did not proceed with a formal bid at that time, primarily due to concerns surrounding the financial costs involved.

Officials have not yet provided projections or estimates on the potential cost of staging the Olympics in Durban. South Africa faces competition from six other countries expressing interest in the 2036 Games, including India, Qatar, South Korea, Germany, Hungary, and Turkey.

The selection of Durban highlights South Africa's desire to showcase its capacity to host large-scale international sporting events and bring the Olympic Games to Africa for the first time. The bid process will continue to develop over the coming years as the IOC evaluates candidates and assesses their proposals.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.