Bids

Barcelona opens the door to the Olympic Games in 2036

— Published on October 10, 2024

The IOC can rub its hands: the list of cities, regions or countries interested in hosting the Summer Games in 2036 could well be extended by a new line soon. It is not anecdotal. And will bring back not so distant memories to the Olympic movement.

Barcelona City Council's sports advisor, David Escudé, explained it this week at an economic conference: the Catalan city is thinking of bidding once again for the Summer Games. "The Olympic flame still burns in Barcelona, he admitted. We are open to the 2036 edition, or to the following ones in 2040 or 2044. We are open to all opportunities, to everything that may arise. ».

Nothing is official yet. But the sports advisor's statements are not empty words. David Escudé acknowledged that the facilities built for the 1992 Summer Games are no longer up to standard for the event. Some of them should be modernized. But he suggested that he was confident that he would soon be able to announce " very good news ».

« Barcelona has its doors and windows open, he said. We listen to everyone, all the projects that come to us are interesting, there is no immediate no, on the contrary. We will listen and we will work together without any limits, being very ambitious ».

A bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036? Not so fast. The Catalan acknowledges that many things can happen in the coming years, especially on the political level. The withdrawal of the Pyrenees and Barcelona's bid for the Winter Games in 2030 illustrated the extreme difficulty in Spain of uniting and federating all the political and regional forces around a project.

But one thing is certain: the Catalan city wants to play a major role on the international sports scene. David Escudé explained this week that Barcelona aims to organize at least one major sporting and/or cultural event every year.

For 2024, the ambition has been fulfilled by hosting the America's Cup since August. "A success », according to the sports advisor. And a " perfect illustration of what can be achieved with public/private collaboration.”

For the future, the city has already secured the Grand Départ of the Tour de France cycling race in 2026. It is also eyeing the World Cup final in 2030, an edition awarded by FIFA to Spain, Portugal and Morocco (with matches in South America), also coveted by Morocco. "We must be ambitious, suggested David Escudé. If we don't fight for the best, we can't aspire to anything. Let's aim for the final, obviously  ».

The Catalan suggested that the city was carrying out " discreet discussions » to attract the biggest sporting events. The Catalans do not forbid themselves anything. But, cautious, they prefer to advance their pawns with wisdom and patience.

India, Chile, Indonesia, Turkey, Qatar, Hungary, Egypt, and even Germany are among the still vague list of countries in discussions with the IOC for the Summer Games in 2036. With the exception of Germany, whose ambition does not yet seem to be completely decided between summer and winter, 2036 or 2040, these candidates have never yet organized the event. Barcelona, ​​yes. Anything but a disadvantage.