Overview
- IOC members agreed to a reset timetable that moves the 2036 host election to mid‑2029 and returns the Summer Games to a seven‑years‑out competitive vote.
- The process sets clear milestones: a contest should take shape in March 2027, targeted dialogue with governments and guarantees will begin in late‑2028, and the Executive Board will name preferred hosts before the 2036 election.
- Targeted dialogue is a new bidding step under recent reforms that lets the IOC work closely and earlier with selected 'preferred hosts' while preserving a final membership vote.
- The change is a signature move by IOC President Kirsty Coventry who paused the earlier informal talks to restore member involvement and greater competition in the selection.
- Countries publicly linked to 2036 interest include Qatar and India, and at least ten parties had been in talks with the IOC before the reset, reflecting wider global interest and higher demands for government guarantees.