Budapest 2036 Olympic bid estimated to cost 2,000 billion forints

Leaked financial documents regarding a potential 2036 Summer Olympics bid in Budapest reveal an estimated total organizational cost of approximately 2,000 billion forints. According to a strategy prepared by PwC, the largest expenditures include 600 billion forints for sports organization and operations, and 350 billion forints for venue infrastructure.

The financial plan suggests that the state would only cover about ten percent of the total costs, expecting the remaining ninety percent to come from the private sector. However, critics note that much of this private funding would likely involve state-linked sources, such as corporate tax incentives, sponsorships from state-owned companies, and lottery revenues. While PwC estimates the total economic impact could reach 7.7 billion euros, independent economists warn that current inflation and economic conditions may make the projected infrastructure budgets insufficient.

Political opposition in Hungary, including the Democratic Coalition and MP Ákos Hadházy, has criticized the lack of transparency regarding the bid. They have called for the government to clarify whether it officially supports the candidacy and have questioned why the public has not been consulted on such a massive financial undertaking.