The International Olympic Committee is on the verge of signing with an Indian sponsor, which is set to mark the growing importance of the country in the Olympic movement as it focuses on bidding to host the 2036 Summer Games.
Currently, the IOC has 15 top partners who doled out nearly $740 million in cash and kind last year; none hail from India. It was during an annual IOC meeting in Mumbai last year that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the country’s intention to bid for the 2036 Games. Among the IOC’s 111 members is Nita Ambani—wife of Mukesh Ambani, head of Relaince Industries.
We would love to welcome a first new TOP sponsor from India and I am sure that this is going to happen very, very soon. For us, it is certainly a country that we believe has a lot of potential, including on commercial. Its GDP is increasing and developing really, really nicely.” said Anne-Sophie Voumard, marketing director for the IOC
The IOC has at least one sponsorship contract that is expiring this year with Japanese car maker Toyota, along with a few others. Olympic sponsorship has been centered on companies from the United States and Japan for the last 40 years. Two more Japanese companies, Bridgestone and Panasonic, have their IOC deals expiry coming this year.
Latest interest will also be seen in anticipation off Qatar hosting the Olympic in 2036 in the city of Doha and also Saudi Arabia securing the host rights for Esport Olympic Games for twelve years down the line.
Those new deals will start with the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and northern Italy’s ski resorts, then continue on to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The Olympic hosts through the 2036 edition next head to the French Alps in 2030, Brisbane, Australia in 2032 and Salt Lake City in 2034.
The IOC has not set any timetables for selecting hosts for the 2036 Summer games extravaganza. Under the changed process, the Olympic leadership would be able to shortlist the candidates with whom they could negotiate further, and the process could even conclude with a final vote by members of the International Olympic Committee with no bid competition.
