Overview
Brisbanites, you now have plans for 2032. Australians who reside elsewhere, you're going to want to make a trip to the Sunshine State that year, too. After first being named the preferred location back in February, and then earning the International Olympic Committee Executive Board's endorsement in June, Brisbane has just received the official tick of approval — and has been announced as the host of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Today, Wednesday, July 21, the full International Olympic Committee voted to choose the 2032 host, with Brissie emerging victorious. Given how the past few months have panned out, this result was expected; however, that doesn't make it any less exciting.
The 2032 games will take place between July 23–August 8, 2032 at a range of venues not just in Brisbane itself, but around southeast Queensland. Brissie's bid included clusters of venues in the city, on the Gold Coast and on the Sunshine Coast. As revealed in April, the Gabba will also undergo a huge revamp in preparation for the games, which'll basically involve tearing the stadium down and rebuilding it again.
It has been a big year for Brisbane, sports-wise, with the city making history last October by becoming the only place outside of Melbourne to ever host an AFL Grand Final. It's been a big few years for southeast Queensland, actually, given that the Gold Coast hosted the Commonwealth Games back in 2018.
The 2032 games will be the first held in Oceania since 2000 — when Sydney did the honours, as every Australian remembers. It'll also mark just a 32-year gap between Australia's most recent hosting slots. The Olympics were first held on our shores back in 1956, in Melbourne.
Brisbanites can expect fireworks lighting up the sky tonight in celebration, as the Premier revealed in the lead up to the announcement. They're being set off from river barges and CBD buildings, and Brisbane's buildings, bridges and City Hall are also being lit up in green and gold hues as well.
The news comes as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics — delayed from last year due to the pandemic — kick off this week, running through until Sunday, August 8. Paris is on hosting duties in 2024, while Los Angeles will take the torch in 2028.
Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympics from July 23–August 8, 2032. For further information, head to the Games' website.
Top image: IOC/Christophe Moratal.