IOC approves next Olympic hosts

France is a step closer to hosting the next Olympic Winter and Paralympic Games, while the United States has been confirmed as the venue for the 2034 Games. 

The French Alps and Salt Lake City were put forward as the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) preferred venues in June and those preferences have now been approved, albeit with the former still having to provide financial guarantees ahead of time.

The French government has not yet provided the necessary state and regional guarantees to the IOC due to the recent national elections but President Emmanuel Macron has publicly reiterated his determination to ensure his country’s commitment to the Games is met in full.

"I confirm the full commitment of the French nation and assure you that I will ask the next prime minister to include not only this guarantee but also an Olympic law in the priorities of the new government,” said President Macron.

"Seven years ago we made the same commitment (for Paris 2024), and we delivered. We will do the same."

France is currently hosting the Summer Olympics but has not hosted the Winter showpiece since 1992 when Albertville was the chosen venue.

The regions of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur will host all major events at the 2030 Games, which will be the second successive Winter Games in Europe after Milan Cortina 2026. Asia hosted the previous two editions in Beijing in 2022 and PyeongChang in 2018.

Although no decision has been made on the track to be used in 2030, France already has a bobsleigh, skeleton and luge facility in La Plagne.

Salt Lake City in Utah has been selected to host the 2034 Winter Games as America follows the French in hosting both Summer and Winter Olympics over a six-year spell. The US will play host to the Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028 before hosting the Winter edition for a fifth time following previous editions in Lake Placid (1932, 1980 and 2002) and Squaw Valley (1960).