NEW DELHI: India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has officially confirmed the nation’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai, Modi expressed the deep-seated aspiration of India to host this global event.
Modi stated, “Hosting the Olympics is the age-old dream for India. Indians are not just sports lovers, but we also live and breathe sports. India will spare no effort in preparing for the successful organization of the 2036 Olympics – this is the dream of 1.4 billion Indians.”
He also conveyed his optimism about receiving unwavering support from the IOC. While Modi did not specify a particular city or region, Ahmedabad, home to the world’s largest stadium with a seating capacity of 132,000 and named after the Indian Prime Minister, stands as a strong contender for the main host city of India’s bid.
India now joins Indonesia, Mexico, and Poland, who have previously expressed official interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics. However, the IOC has not set a specific timeframe for awarding the hosting rights for the 2036 Games.
The 2036 Summer Games are the next available edition, with Paris hosting in 2024, Los Angeles in 2028, and Brisbane in 2032. Modi also conveyed India’s willingness to consider bidding for the Youth Olympics in 2029, emphasizing the importance of sports in winning not only medals but also hearts.
