• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 19, 2025

Seoul to Bid for 2036 Olympics With Notable Exclusion

  • Seoul is planning to bid to host the 2036 Olympics.
  • In 2021, Seoul submitted a bid with North Korea’s capital Pyongyang to host the 2032 Olympics.
Flag bearers enter with the South Korean flag during the opening ceremony for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games
Handout Photo-USA TODAY NETWORK

Seoul is planning to bid for the Olympics again, but this time without North Korean capital Pyongyang.

The pair submitted a proposal to host the 2032 Olympics in 2021 — three years after the countries marched under a unified flag at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics — before it was awarded to Brisbane in hopes of better relations with North Korea, according to Reuters. 

Now, Seoul is making a bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics alone, according to Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon.

“I think the strategy for 2032 was doomed to failure because of unpredictable inter-Korean relations,” Oh said.

In the last year, North Korea has tested a record number of ballistic missiles and regularly threatens Seoul and its allies. Washington, D.C., officials say North Korea may be preparing to test nuclear weapons again for the first time since 2017.

Seoul is reportedly open to holding some events in the Demilitarized Zone or Pyongyang if relations improve. 

The national government and individual cities would have to decide whether to jointly host with Pyongyang, according to an official with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, who said they had not received any formal statements of intent to bid from Seoul or Busan.

Germany, Qatar, India, Egypt, and Mexico have also been named as potential bidders.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Golf’s Prize Money Boom Is Slowing Down

There is no purse increase at The Open Championship.

WNBA Stars Say Zero Progress Made at CBA Meeting

The WNBA and its union had their first in-person meeting Thursday.

New NFLPA Head Will Face Multibillion-Dollar Decisions

The next NFLPA leader will wrestle with a series of pressing issues.

Michael Jordan’s NASCAR Team Loses Another Legal Battle

23XI Racing has lost its Cup Series charter status for the time being.

Featured Today

Ryan Field Construction
exclusive

First Look Inside Northwestern’s $862 Million New Ryan Field

Five big things FOS learned on our exclusive stadium tour.
Jul 21, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Xander Schauffele celebrates with Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Troon.
July 17, 2025

The Boozy History and Traditions of The Open’s Claret Jug

The Open awards the world’s most famous wine decanter.
2025 PDC World Darts Championship Final - Luke Littler vs Michael Van Gerwen
July 16, 2025

A Teen Darts Prodigy Is Becoming Bigger Than the Game Itself

Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is cashing in on his devastatingly accurate shot.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive
July 13, 2025

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Jun 13, 2018; Moscow, Russia; A general view of a beer stand inside of Luschniki Stadium one day prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup 2018.

Saudi Arabia Says No Alcohol at 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia won’t allow alcohol anywhere during the 2034 World Cup.
August 30, 2024

Premier League Transfer Spending Has Already Topped $2 Billion As Deadline Looms

Saudi Pro League teams haven’t yet matched their English counterparts.
January 13, 2025

Gavin Newsom Reveals Status of 2028 Olympics As Los Angeles Wildfires Roar

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Paralympics Tiktok
August 25, 2024

The Wildly Successful Paralympics TikTok Account Isn’t What You Think

A cheeky TikTok account is opening the world of Paralympic sports.
August 11, 2024

Passing of the Torch: Los Angeles Set for Olympic Firsts in 2028

The city last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984.
August 1, 2024

Saudi Arabia Submits Bold World Cup Bid That Includes a Cliffside Arena

The Saudis are proposing a new stadium in a futuristic city called Neom.
John John Florence (USA) surfs in men’s round two competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach.
July 29, 2024

Olympic Surfers Won’t Get Their Full Paris Moment

‘We’re kind of separate off on our own little thing over here.’