Will Indonesia’s desire to host the 2036 Olympics go up in flames over economics, geopolitics?

Indonesia’s ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympics could be decided by the costs of building a new capital, and its strained political ties with Israel

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The Olympic Flame handover ceremony for the 2020 Tokyo Games. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 12:00pm, 3 Aug 2024

Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto has tossed his country’s hat into the Olympic rings to host the 2036 Summer Games, but experts warn economic and geopolitical pitfalls challenges may hinder this ambitious bid.

Prabowo was in France last week, where he attended the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris alongside Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, who has been a key proponent of bringing major sporting events to Indonesia.

During the visit, the pair met International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach to reaffirm Indonesia’s ambition to host the games.

“Mr. Prabowo’s love for sports makes him want to see Indonesia becoming the stage for world-class events,” Erick wrote on Instagram.

This is not the first time Jakarta has set its sights on hosting the Olympics. In 2019, incumbent President Joko Widodo submitted a bid to host the 2032 Games, but lost out to Brisbane, Australia.

Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto (left) shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, France, on July 24. Photo: EPA-EFE

Widodo’s proposal included hosting the sporting spectacle in Indonesia’s planned new capital city of Nusantara on the island of Borneo. This seemingly addressed concerns from critics who doubted Jakarta’s ability to accommodate the event due to its notorious traffic, but raised fresh concerns whether the new capital would be ready in time.