The next chapter in Budapest’s Olympic history may now begin with a letter. Zsolt Gyulay, president of the Hungarian Olympic Committee, has asked the Budapest Public Development Council to put the concept for hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Budapest on its agenda this fall, according to Telex.
This is not yet a bid. Budapest and the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB) announced in October 2024 that the capital would take part in the International Olympic Committee's exploratory process. According to the MOB, this does not yet create any obligation to host.
## Several cities are on the list
Seven countries are known to have expressed interest to the IOC. Hungary named Budapest as its main venue, India Ahmedabad, Qatar Doha, Turkey Istanbul, Germany Munich, South Korea Seoul and South Africa Cape Town.
Interested parties will present their bids to the relevant IOC committee in November. The organization will narrow down the field in March 2027, after which strategic discussions will begin with the shortlisted candidates. Targeted negotiations could begin in November 2028, and a decision on the final host city could be made in 2029.
The MOB is working on a plan intended to be sustainable and focused on urban development. Its details are not yet known, so it is not clear what investments or changes in Budapest hosting the Games would bring.
## First the debate, then the decision
According to the MOB, Hungary should officially decide by 2028 whether it will assume the obligations and provide the guarantees necessary to host the event. The organization believes that a thorough public consultation is necessary prior to that decision.
Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karácsony spoke cautiously on the issue. He said the whole country “has to talk this through” and the government must also form its position. The Olympic bid was not discussed at the previous meeting of the Budapest Public Development Council.
According to Dávid Vitézy, Minister of Transport and Investment, the matter is not on the ministry's table for now. In his view, financial and infrastructure issues come first, but government representatives are ready to hear the concept if the council puts it on the agenda.
At this time, residents of Erzsébetváros do not need to take any immediate action, nor has a consultation date been announced. The current phase involves determining whether the capital city and the government will even begin a joint review of the proposal under development.
Source: Telex
