After giving up on the dream of hosting a future Winter Olympics in Catalonia, officials in Barcelona wants to keep the “Olympic flame burning” and have suggested that the regional capital look into hosting the Summer Games in the regional capital once again.
The 1992 Olympic Games have been considered one of the most successful ever – not only because of the exciting and productive competitions held in July and August – but also due to the valuable physical and social legacy that was built, propelling the city forward. Earlier this week Barcelona officials expressed the need to refresh that legacy more than 40 years later as the population and its needs have grown.
Gerard Esteva, president of the Union of Sports Federations of Catalonia (UFEC) told a regional economic forum that “Barcelona has done a very good job since the 1992 Olympic Games until today and as a result there are many people who practice or want to practice sport but we are faced with a significant deficit of facilities from the federations at locations in the city of Barcelona.”
“It is necessary for the administrations to start working together to give opportunities in the practice of sport to the people of Barcelona and its metropolitan area.”
David Escudé, sports advisor on Barcelona’s City Council took it one step further, suggesting his city bid for the Olympics once again.
He said “The Olympic flame still burns in Barcelona. 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.”
The Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) had been pursuing a Games in Madrid with bids for 2012, 2016 and 2020 editions. Prior to that Seville was proposed to host in 2004 and 2008. A project for a 2036 Games in Madrid was dropped by the COE in 2022 to make way for a Barcelona-Pyrenees 2030 Winter Games bid.
The Barcelona-Pyrenees 2030 bid was later abandoned when regional partners couldn’t come to an agreement on the venue plan and political infighting made it impossible to move forward. COE officials hoped to bid for subsequent Winter Games, leaving more time to resolve issues. But last October the International Olympic Committee (IOC) committed more than a decade of future editions in one day, possibly pushing the next available Winter Games into the 2040’s.
A project from the French Alps was targeted for the 2030 Games and Salt Lake City, Utah was named the sole candidate for 2034 – both were elected this past July in Paris. Additionally, a Swiss bid was given an exclusive window as sole bidder for the 2038 edition, and with things moving well it seems likely that project will be elected. Recognizing the long wait for the next available Winter Games, Catalonia government officials decided to call of a future bid knowing that in two decades the climate crisis will render the slopes unskiable.
That decision clears a path for another Summer Games bid for Spain, whether that be another attempt by Spain or a chance for Barcelona to repeat as host.
If the COE decides to move forward with a bid for the 2036 Games, they’ll have to move quickly. The IOC claims interested bidders are now in the double-digits and ongoing discussions are well underway. There is no set timetable, but officials have claimed that host candidates could be narrowed down as early as 2026.
The IOC does not disclose nations that are currently involved in continuous dialogue but some jurisdictions have already discussed intentions for 2036 publicly. These include Istanbul in Türkiye, India, Egypt, Cape Town in South Africa, Santiago inn Chile and Seoul in South Korea. Qatar and Saudi Arabia are also known to be in the running.
Los Angeles is set to host the Games in 2028 while Brisbane, Australia will stage the Games in 2032.
