Mumbai shows interest in hosting 2026 Youth Olympic Games

What's the story?

Mumbai became the first city to express an interest in hosting the 2026 Youth Olympics on Saturday. This news comes in the wake of Thomas Bach's visit to India. Bach, who is currently the President of the International Olympic Committee, was on a tour of India and had previously met with the media in a press event.

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The president of the Indian Olympic Association, Narinder Dhurv Batra, confirmed India's interest in hosting the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the 2030 Asian Games, and the 2032 Olympic Games. This announcement was made alongside IOC President Thomas Bach when the two heads met with the media in a press conference held in New Delhi on Thursday, April 19.

The heart of the matter

Although an official announcement has not been made yet, it is increasingly likely that Mumbai will throw in their name amongst the likely candidates to host the 2026 Youth Olympics.

This news falls in line with Thomas Bach's visit to India, who in turn has appreciated this step taken by Mumbai. The principal individuals involved in bringing the Youth Olympics to India are Narinder Batra, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani. Ambani, whose company Reliance has been behind much of the latest sports drive in India, recently became a member of the IOC and is now keen to bring the games to her native city.

Chief Minister of Maharashtra, with the backing of IOA President Narinder Batra and IOC member Nita Ambani, expresses committment for a Mumbai candidature for the Youth Olympic Games 2026, as well as a strong interest in the Olympic Games 2032.

— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) April 21, 2018

IOC President Bach remains non-committal on this development so far, but has appreciated the action. The IOC has been on a mission lately to make the games more worldwide and has agreed to host the 2022 Youth Olympic Games in Africa.

However, Mumbai's interest is still in the preliminary stages and many more comprehensive discussions will take place before an official bid is placed and potentially accepted.

What's next?

Narinder Batra's recent comments have made it clear that India is ready to host a big-ticket international event in the future. However, a lot of progress still needs to be made to ensure the infrastructure and the finances are available if India does indeed decide to host these events.

Author's take

Events like the Olympics or the Asian Games are a big deal which requires a lot of investment from the host country. The authorities need to make sure whether this decision has long-term benefits or not, especially since a lot of sports are still lacking an adequate grassroots level investment in India.