Honestly, if you look at a map of where the world’s biggest party has landed over the last century, you’ll notice something kind of weird. The locations of the summer olympics aren't as diverse as you might think. We like to talk about "global" reach, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has a few favorite haunts.
Take 2024. Paris just finished hosting for the third time.
Then look at 2028. Los Angeles is up next, and guess what? That’s their third time, too. London already hit the hat-trick back in 2012. It’s like the world has a few reliable "best friends" it stays with whenever it needs to throw a massive sporting bash. But there's a reason for this pattern that goes way beyond just liking the food in France or the weather in SoCal.
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The Repeat Offenders: Why some cities host the Summer Olympics again and again
It's expensive. Like, "bankrupt your city for a generation" expensive.
Back in 1976, Montreal hosted the games and famously ended up with a billion-dollar debt that took 30 years to pay off. People called the stadium "The Big Owe." Because of horror stories like that, many cities have started backing out of bids. In the race for 2024, so many cities dropped out that the IOC basically panicked and handed 2024 to Paris and 2028 to Los Angeles at the same time just to lock them down.
The Los Angeles Model
L.A. is basically the gold standard for how to handle locations of the summer olympics without ruining your local economy. In 1984, they didn't build a ton of shiny new stadiums. They used what they had. The Coliseum? Already there from the 1932 games. They made a profit of over $200 million.
Most cities don't do that. They build "White Elephants"—massive, beautiful stadiums that look great on TV for two weeks and then sit empty and rot because nobody in town actually plays professional handball or needs a 50,000-seat velodrome. Look at Athens. Many of their 2004 venues are currently overgrown with weeds and covered in graffiti. It's a tragedy, really.
Where are we going next? Future locations of the Summer Olympics
If you're planning your travel calendar, the next decade is already mapped out.
- 2028: Los Angeles, USA. Expect a lot of Hollywood glitz and probably a lot of talk about how they’re making the "first car-free games" (which, if you've ever been in L.A. traffic, sounds like a miracle).
- 2032: Brisbane, Australia. This was a bit of a surprise pick for some, but Australia knows how to host. Sydney 2000 is still remembered as one of the best ever.
- 2036: The Great Unknown. This is where it gets spicy. India is pushing hard. Qatar wants in. Even Egypt is making noise about being the first African nation to host.
The IOC changed the rules recently. They don't do the dramatic "unfolding the envelope" seven years out anymore. Now, it's a "continuous dialogue." Basically, they date a city for a while to see if it’s a good match before making it official.
The Geography Problem: Who gets left out?
You’ve probably noticed a massive hole on the map. Africa has never hosted. Not once.
South America only got its first shot in 2016 with Rio de Janeiro, and that was... complicated. Between the Zika virus scares and the political instability, it was a rocky ride. But the lack of an African host is a real point of contention in the sports world. It’s expensive to build the infrastructure required—high-speed rail, thousands of hotel rooms, and elite-level stadiums.
Many experts, like sports economist Andrew Zimbalist, argue that the "bidding war" format traditionally used for locations of the summer olympics actually punishes developing nations. They spend millions just to apply, and then if they lose, that money is just gone.
What makes a city "work" for the Olympics?
It isn't just about the track and field. It’s about the "boring" stuff.
- Transport: Can you move 500,000 people from a swimming pool to a gymnastics arena without the city's heart stopping?
- Security: Since 1972 and 1996, the cost of keeping athletes safe has skyrocketed into the billions.
- The Village: You need to house 10,000+ athletes. Most cities now try to build these as "future apartments" to avoid waste.
Paris used the Seine. London used an old industrial wasteland in East London and turned it into a park. The best locations of the summer olympics are the ones that use the games as an excuse to fix their city, not just to show off for two weeks.
Practical steps for the Olympic traveler
If you’re actually thinking of going to L.A. or Brisbane, don't wait for the ticket lottery.
First, look at the venue map. In 2028, L.A. is spreading events all the way to Oklahoma City (for softball and canoe slalom). Yeah, seriously. It's 1,300 miles away. If you book a hotel in Santa Monica thinking you'll see everything, you're going to be disappointed.
Check the "test events" too. A year before the actual Olympics, the host city usually runs smaller competitions to test the venues. These are way cheaper, less crowded, and you get to see the same world-class facilities.
The locations of the summer olympics are shifting toward sustainability and "using what we have." This is a good thing. It means the games might actually survive the century instead of priced-out into extinction. Keep an eye on the 2036 announcement—if it goes to Ahmedabad or Doha, the map of world sports is going to look very different.
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Start by looking at the official IOC "Future Host" documents if you want to see who is actually in the running. It’s less of a secret than it used to be. You can see the feasibility studies right on their site. If you're planning a trip for 2028, start looking at the Metro Rail expansion maps in Los Angeles now; that’s where the smart money is for booking accommodations.