South Africa has declared its intention to bid for the 2036 or 2040 Olympic and Paralympic Games, aiming to bring the world’s premier sporting event to the African continent for the first time.

The announcement was made by the government on Thursday.

The country, which hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, is now seeking to extend its sporting legacy to the Olympics.

“South Africa initiates its intention to bid for the 2036 and 2040 Olympic Games,” said Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni during a press briefing.

She added that Pretoria has engaged in “continuous dialogue with the International Olympic Committee,” which has been led since June by Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry.

Ntshavheni described the talks as “preliminary and exploratory engagement that is critical to advance South Africa’s intention to bid for the hosting rights of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” though she did not disclose a potential host city.

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The minister noted that South Africa would not need significant investment to upgrade existing infrastructure. “Even if we are offered the games tomorrow, the cabinet is confident that we should be able to host them with our facilities,” she said.

Previously, Cape Town had submitted a bid to host the 2004 Olympics, which was ultimately awarded to Athens in 1997.

During a visit to South Africa in October 2024, former IOC president Thomas Bach praised the country, saying it had “the stability, the infrastructure and vision to stage an Olympics.”

Africa is set to host its first Youth Olympics in Senegal’s Dakar from October 31 to November 14, 2026, while the 2028 Summer Olympics are scheduled for Los Angeles, and the 2032 Games have been awarded to Brisbane, Australia.

Meanwhile, Munich voters recently approved a plan to bid for the Summer Olympics in 2036, 2040, or 2044. The German city last hosted the Games in 1972.

South Africa continues to invest in international sports, including plans for a Formula One Grand Prix at the historic Kyalami track near Johannesburg from 2027 and organizing the 2027 men’s Cricket World Cup, further cementing its position as a leading sporting hub in Africa