Cape Town has been officially confirmed as the host city for the prestigious SportAccord Convention in 2028, a landmark decision that will bring the flagship gathering of international sport to the African continent for the very first time.
The announcement represents a significant milestone for South Africa’s vibrant sports tourism and event-hosting sector, further cementing Cape Town’s reputation as a premier global destination for major international gatherings. SportAccord’s flagship convention serves as the ultimate melting pot for the global sports industry, bringing together international sports federations, host cities, government representatives, corporate sponsors, media, and various other key stakeholders from across the international sporting ecosystem.
For Cape Town, securing the 2028 event is the latest in a long line of high-profile sporting achievements that showcase the city’s robust infrastructure and operational capability. The picturesque South African coastal city is already globally renowned for its successful staging of matches during the historic 2010 FIFA World Cup, an event that introduced South Africa to millions of global television viewers and laid the foundation for subsequent mega-events. More recently, Cape Town demonstrated its capacity to deliver world-class cricket tournaments when it hosted high-stakes matches during the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, including the thrilling tournament final that captivated fans worldwide.
The journey to the 2028 SportAccord Convention sees Cape Town following in the footsteps of several major global cities. Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is set to host the upcoming edition of SportAccord from 9th to 13th May next year, following a rescheduling of the 2026 event. Prior to that, the vibrant British city of Birmingham successfully staged the convention in 2024, drawing industry leaders from every corner of the globe to discuss the future, challenges, and opportunities within the business of sport.
The announcement of the 2028 convention in Cape Town arrives during a transformative week for South African sport on the global stage. Coinciding with the SportAccord revelation, it was revealed that South Africa has been officially named among seven countries that have formally expressed an interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. This national ambition features a multi-city proposal from South Africa, with Cape Town positioned proudly as one of the three prospective host cities alongside Durban and Johannesburg.
The dual momentum of securing a major international business convention like SportAccord while actively pursuing the Olympic Games highlights South Africa’s strategic positioning within the global sports landscape. In light of these concurrent developments, SportAccord has acknowledged the broader national context, stating that it will review its plans for the 2028 convention with South Africa "as appropriate" should the country progress further through the rigorous host selection process administered by the International Olympic Committee.
The race for the 2036 Summer Olympic Games is shaping up to be fiercely competitive, featuring a diverse mix of traditional and emerging sporting nations. Alongside South Africa, major nations such as India, Qatar, Turkey, and Hungary are all actively seeking to stage the Summer Olympics for the very first time, a reflection of the changing geography of major international sporting events. Additionally, previous Summer Olympic hosts Germany and South Korea have expressed interest in bringing the Games back to their shores, demonstrating the high prestige and enduring global appeal of the world’s premier multi-sport event.
Currently, all seven interested countries are engaged in a phase of "continuous dialogue" with the International Olympic Committee. The IOC has established a firm procedural timeline for the selection process, setting a strict deadline of 31st October for any additional interested parties to come forward and formally register their intent.
As the timeline progresses, the next critical phase will unfold in November 2026, when representatives from the prospective host nations are scheduled to deliver virtual presentations to the IOC’s Future Host Commission. Following these detailed presentations, comprehensive feasibility assessments will be conducted and are expected to be fully completed by March 2027.
These thorough evaluations will pave the way for the IOC’s executive board to review the findings and formally shortlist the countries that will be permitted to proceed to the strategic dialogue phase. According to the IOC’s established roadmap, preferred hosts will subsequently be invited to enter into a more focused, targeted dialogue in December 2028. The culmination of this exhaustive multi-year selection process is expected to arrive by mid-2029, when the host city for the 2036 Olympic Games will officially be chosen.
