African athletes lit up the Paris Games, delivering moments of brilliance that inspired pride across the continent. Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet claimed double gold in the women’s 5,000m and 10,000m, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo stormed to victory in the men’s 200m, and Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola set a new Olympic record in the marathon.
AfricaHeadline Reports Team
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Their achievements showcased Africa’s enduring talent on the track and road, but the chance to see the Olympic flame burn on African soil remains remote. Despite reforms to the bidding process, the continent may still have decades to wait before staging the Summer Games.
Africa is the only inhabited continent never to host a Summer Olympics. Los Angeles will welcome the Games in 2028, followed by Brisbane in 2032 – the third time Australia, with fewer than 30 million people, has staged the event.
Egypt is preparing a bid for 2036 centred on its new administrative capital, still under construction outside Cairo. While the country has inaugurated new sporting venues, much of the wider infrastructure remains incomplete, leaving doubts about its readiness to take on such a colossal task.
Africa has proven itself on the world stage before. South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and the FIFA World Cup in 2010, while Morocco will co-host football’s biggest event in 2030. The continent has also staged the Cricket World Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and the legendary Ali–Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974.
But the Olympics require a scale unlike any other. More than 30 sports must be accommodated, with facilities for 10,000 athletes, another 4,000 Paralympians, plus coaches, staff and millions of fans. Paris spent $8.7 billion on the 2024 Games, Tokyo $13.7 billion for the delayed 2020 edition, and Rio de Janeiro $23.6 billion in 2016 – figures that do not include broader infrastructure upgrades.
Such staggering sums deter many African governments. Cape Town’s failed bid for 2004 remains the closest the continent has come, and the financial turmoil Greece suffered after hosting those Games stands as a cautionary tale.
In 2019, the IOC overhauled its bidding process. The Games can now be shared between several cities or even countries, opening the door to bids that draw on existing venues. A South African Olympics, for instance, could split events between Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, reducing the need for new construction.
This flexibility could lower barriers for developing nations, though competition will be fierce. India, Indonesia, Turkey and Gulf states such as Qatar have already expressed interest in future editions.
If 2036 proves too soon, Egypt may be a stronger candidate for 2040. South Africa, with its established infrastructure and global sporting pedigree, remains a natural contender, despite credibility issues after Durban withdrew from hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Morocco is also emerging as a serious option, boosted by its role in the 2030 World Cup. Long-shot bids could come from Nairobi, the symbolic home of distance running, though the city would need vast investment to meet IOC standards.
For now, Africa continues to dominate inside the arenas and on the roads, but not yet as host. The athletes keep delivering unforgettable victories – the stage, however, still belongs to others.
