The modern Olympic Games is billed as the largest multi-sport event in the world, with a history dating back to 1896. Yet there’s a glaring absence on the Olympic map and on its logo of five rings representing the five inhabited continents: Africa has never hosted.
So the announcement of Egypt’s ambitious bid to stage the summer games in 2036 or 2040 represents not just the country’s aspirations but potentially a watershed moment for the continent.
The bid is backed by African Olympics boss Mustapha Berraf and will hope to build on the momentum of the Youth Olympic Games being hosted by Senegal in 2026.
