Can India Really Host the 2036 Olympics? A Long, Honest Look Beyond the Hype

The rumours are flying thick. India might bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics. Politicians are teasing it, news anchors are celebrating it, and social media is already imagining the fireworks at the opening ceremony.

But can India actually host an event of this scale in 2036?
Let’s put aside the nationalist excitement and examine the question with logic, data, and a little healthy sarcasm.

1. How Does the IOC Actually Choose a Host City?

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) doesn’t pick cities based on enthusiasm or political promises. It follows a system called “continuous dialogue”. In simple words, cities lobby quietly, IOC checks risk, and then picks the safest option.

Here’s what the IOC looks for:

Massive international airports
Strong metro and suburban rail networks
Olympic-grade stadiums and multi-sport venues
Tens of thousands of hotel rooms
Clear timelines with low risk of construction delays
Stable national and local governments
Financial guarantees for billions of dollars
Environmental and sustainability compliance
Clean, functional urban infrastructure

They basically want a city that will not embarrass them on global TV.

This is why the IOC tends to pick cities that are already “Olympic-ready” or very close to it – Los Angeles, Paris, Brisbane etc. Minimal surprises, minimal drama.

India, sadly, has a reputation for two things the IOC hates: construction delays and bureaucratic chaos.

2. Which Indian City Can Realistically Host the Olympics?

This is where political imagination collides with physical reality.

A. Ahmedabad – The Only Serious Contender

Not Delhi, not Mumbai, not Bengaluru. The only realistic candidate right now is Ahmedabad.

Why?

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave is being developed as a huge multi-sport complex.
Narendra Modi Stadium is already the largest cricket stadium in the world.
Metro expansion and urban infrastructure upgrades are in progress.
There is strong coordination between Gujarat state and the Union government.
Plenty of land is available for an Olympic Village and venue clusters.
There is clear political will to spend big and push a global bid.

If India wins the bid for 2036, it is almost certain that the Games will be in an Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar cluster.

B. Delhi – Powerful on Paper, Risky in Reality

Delhi looks powerful in headlines, but the IOC will see:

Severe air pollution issues
Fragile and overloaded infrastructure
Memories of corruption and mess from Commonwealth Games 2010
Complicated Centre vs State political friction

Delhi is a global city, yes, but not an IOC-safe city.

C. Mumbai – Global Brand, No Space

Mumbai has international appeal and financial muscle, but:

Very limited land for a full Olympic Park and Village
Real estate cost and land acquisition would be a nightmare
Public transport is improving but still extremely stretched

The IOC will not award the Olympics to a city where just land acquisition can take five years of court cases and protests.

D. Bengaluru – Strong Potential, Weak Political Push

Bengaluru is a great city to live in, but as an Olympic bid city it has challenges:

Not enough large multi-sport venues
Hotel and logistics capacity still limited at Olympic scale
Airport is far from the city, adding travel time and complexity
No serious political momentum behind a Bengaluru Olympic dream

So let’s be blunt: if India hosts the Olympics, the Games will be in Ahmedabad, not Delhi, not Mumbai, not Thiruvananthapuram, not anyone else. Everything else is just noise and speeches.

3. What Actually Helps India’s Chances?

India is not some random outsider. It does have a few strong cards on the table:

World’s largest young population and a massive sports-viewing market
Strong economic growth compared to many traditional Olympic hosts
IOC’s interest in expanding into new regions and big emerging markets
Successful hosting of events like G20, Cricket World Cup, U17 World Cup, MotoGP and more
Government enthusiasm and willingness to push a big national project
Corporate sponsorship power and a growing sports business ecosystem
Influence of the Indian diaspora and business lobby in global networks

This does make the IOC curious about India as a future host. But curiosity is very different from commitment.

4. What Seriously Hurts India’s Chances?

Here comes the uncomfortable but necessary list.

Infrastructure Gap

No Indian city is currently fully Olympic-ready in terms of end-to-end logistics – stadiums, villages, transport, hotels, security, tech backbone, everything at once.

Bureaucracy and Delays

The IOC is allergic to unpredictability. India is legendary for project delays, tenders stuck in files, and last-minute rush jobs. Not a good match.

Financial Pressure

Hosting the Olympics can cost between $10–20 billion. India will need to prove that it can spend this amount without triggering a political or economic backlash.

Pollution and Urban Chaos

Cities like Delhi get disqualified almost immediately on the air quality factor alone. Even other metros struggle with congestion, waste management and basic urban discipline.

Commonwealth Games 2010 Ghosts

The corruption scandals and mismanagement from CWG 2010 in Delhi are not forgotten in international sports circles. That reputation still hurts.

Federal Politics

The Olympics demands 10–12 years of uninterrupted focus. India’s coalition politics, state–centre friction and policy mood swings make the IOC nervous.

5. How Strong Is India Compared to Other 2036 Contenders?

Likely or rumoured contenders for the 2036 Games include:

Doha (Qatar)
Istanbul (Turkey)
Germany (multi-city bid)
Jakarta (Indonesia)
Possibly Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)

Many of these have:

Existing large sports infrastructure
Very deep financial resources (especially in the Gulf)
More predictable project execution
Clean, modern airports and transport systems
Stable political backing and clear command-control governance

In this field, India is a dark horse – interesting, but risky.

6. So What Are India’s Real Chances for 2036?

Let’s put some realistic numbers, not patriotic slogans:

India actually submits a bid: around 70% probability
IOC engages seriously with that bid: around 40% probability
India is finally chosen as 2036 host: roughly 20–25% probability

That is not hopeless, but it is nowhere near “confirmed” or “guaranteed”.

If India does manage to win the bid, it will almost definitely be:

Ahmedabad as the host city (with Gandhinagar cluster support).

7. A More Realistic Timeline: 2040 or 2044

India’s long-term Olympic story actually looks stronger post-2036.

By 2040 or 2044, India is more likely to have:

Better urban infrastructure in multiple cities
Bigger and more efficient airports
More mature logistics and project management systems
Stronger per-capita income and fiscal space for mega events
A more established sports culture and ecosystem

That is when India becomes a genuinely powerful Olympic candidate, not just a symbolic one.

India Can Host the Olympics – But 2036 Is a Stretch

Dreaming is not the problem. Dreaming without planning is.

India has the ambition, the market size and the national pride to host the Olympics. The big question is whether it has the governance capacity, infrastructure discipline and financial stability needed for the world’s biggest sporting event.

2036 is possible, but not probable.
2040 or 2044 looks far more realistic.

Until then, it makes more sense to focus on:

building sports infrastructure step by step,
host more world cups, championships and multi-sport events,
and fix our basic urban systems.

Once those are in place, the Olympics will not sound like a political slogan. It will sound like a natural next step.