India, Qatar and South Africa were confirmed on Tuesday among seven countries interested in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics. Germany, Hungary, Turkiye and South Korea complete the current list issued by the International Olympic Committee, with other nations facing an October 31 deadline to declare interest.

The IOC Executive Board will draw up a shortlist of interested parties in March 2027 before entering dialogue with the candidates. The IOC stated that 2036 hosts would be assessed on funding and political and public support.

"Wherever the Games take place, one thing must never change: athletes have to be at the heart of everything we do," IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a statement. "That is why, for every future host, delivering the best possible experience for the athletes must always be the starting point," the Zimbabwean former swimmer added.

India has stated its intention to host an Olympics for the first time, centred on Ahmedabad in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat. Ahmedabad will host the 2030 multi-sport Commonwealth Games as a major rehearsal and is home to the world's largest cricket stadium.

South Africa previously hosted the 2010 football World Cup and 1995 Rugby World Cup, while Qatar hosted the 2022 football World Cup amid corruption allegations against FIFA. An Olympics in the Gulf would require a move from the traditional July-August slot due to the heat.

The German National Olympic Committee voted last month to select Munich as its candidate city for a Games marking a centenary since the 1936 Berlin Olympics overseen by the Nazi regime. Turkish authorities aim to improve on their 2020 bid when Istanbul finished second to Tokyo, following Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032.