SOUTH Africa announced Thursday its ambition to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to African soil for the first time, targeting either 2036 or 2040 in what would mark another milestone for the continent’s sporting powerhouse.
The nation that already boasts Africa’s only FIFA World Cup and Rugby World Cup is ready for another historic first, government officials confirmed. Cape Town, the coastal tourism magnet that narrowly missed hosting the 2004 Games – finishing third behind eventual winner Athens and Rome – is expected to lead the charge again.
“We have already engaged with the International Olympic Committee on the viability of hosting the Games, and there is continuous dialogue,” Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters, noting discussions with IOC leadership headed by Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry.
South Africa’s sporting credentials are formidable. Beyond becoming the only nation besides England to host rugby, cricket, and soccer World Cups, the country successfully staged the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 2003 Cricket World Cup, and the groundbreaking 2010 FIFA World Cup. It will co-host cricket’s premier event again in 2027 alongside Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Cape Town’s candidacy appears stronger than Durban’s ill-fated 2022 Commonwealth Games bid, which the city withdrew from in 2017, citing financial constraints. The Mother City’s status as a global tourism destination bolsters its Olympic prospects.
The competition promises to be fierce. Ahmedabad, Doha, Istanbul, and Santiago have all declared their intentions to pursue the 2036 Games.
South Africa’s Olympic ambitions extend beyond traditional sports – the nation is also pursuing a Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2027 onwards, which would be another continental first for Africa.
