IOC reform boosts Germany's 2036 Olympic bid

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved a reform to its host‑city selection process at an extraordinary General Assembly in Lausanne. The new rules add an extra review phase three months before a national candidate is chosen, give all IOC members a renewed vote on the final decision, and shift the award of the 2036 Summer Games to mid‑2029.

Germany, which has entered bids for the 2036, 2040 and 2044 Games, will decide which city or region to put forward – Berlin, Munich or the Cologne‑Rhein‑Ruhr area – at a special DOSB meeting on 26 September in Baden‑Baden. The reforms introduce a “strategic dialogue” phase in early 2027, followed by a “targeted dialogue” before the 2029 IOC session that will select the host.

The IOC hopes the changes will give prospective hosts clearer timelines, more planning certainty and better public support. Potential rivals mentioned in the discussion include Qatar and India’s Ahmedabad, while European interest remains for later editions such as 2040.