Timeline

At this point, the Exploratory Committee is simply determining whether it is feasible for Denver to submit a bid for an Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. If we determine it is, we’ll work with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to determine timeline and next steps.

The new Candidature Process 2026 builds on changes introduced through Olympic Agenda 2020, which reduces costs for cities. It also gives cities and national organizing committees (NOCs) greater IOC support and more flexibility to develop Games proposals that advance local, regional and national goals.

This process is split into two stages:

A new, one-year non-committal Dialogue Stage will give interested cities and NOCs an opportunity to engage with the IOC to assess the benefits and requirements related to hosting the Olympic Winter Games 2026.
A shortened formal Candidature Stage will streamline and simplify the period when candidate cities work with the IOC to increase value propositions of their Games delivery plans.

Throughout both stages, the process is characterised by ongoing open dialogue with the cities, a learning environment enabling continuous improvement of the Games project and a process tailored to the context and needs of each city.

Winter Olympics Bobsled

Dialogue stage

(A city interested to become a candidate for the Olympic Winter Games 2026)

Through April
Customized on-site expert support visits

February 9-23, 2018
Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang. 2018 Observer Program

March 31, 2018
Deadline for cities to enter the Candidature Process by joining Dialogue Stage

May 2018
On-site interactive working session 2: Presentation of consolidated Games concept after consultation with IOC technical experts

June 2018
Official Debriefing Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 in Beijing

July 2018
Provision of Host City Contract

September 2018
IOC Working Group Report submitted to IOC Executive Board

October 2018
IOC Executive Board to recommend to the IOC Session Cities to invite to the Candidature Stage

IOC Session to invite a number of Interested Cities to take part in the Candidature Stage

Candidature stage

(A city which has been invited by the IOC Session to present a candidature for the Olympic Winter Games 2026)

January 11, 2019
Deadline for the submission of the Candidature File including core guarantees by the Candidate Cities

February 2019
IOC expert pre-visits

March / April 2019
IOC Evaluation Commission analysis, including a visit to each candidate city and requests for submission of any additional information or guarantees

April 12, 2019
Deadline for the submission of the complete Guarantee File

May 2019
Final Q&A session, via individual video conference, with the Evaluation Commission

June / July 2019
Publication of the Evaluation Commission Report on www.olympic.org

July 2019
Candidate Cities’ right of response following publication of the Evaluation Commission Report

Candidate City Briefing 2026 for IOC Members and International Olympic Winter Sports Federations

September 2019
Candidate Cities present to IOC Session in Milan, followed by election of the Host City 2026

6–9 months after the election
Individual debriefing with each NOC/Candidate City

Timeline

Dialogue stage

(A city interested to become a candidate for the Olympic Winter Games 2026)

Candidature stage

(A city which has been invited by the IOC Session to present a candidature for the Olympic Winter Games 2026)

The New Norm