New Selection Method to Shape Brisbane 2032 Olympic Programme

A new method for choosing sports at the Olympic Games will be used for the first time at Brisbane 2032, and the final programme will be confirmed at the IOC's 147th Session in April 2027.

The International Olympic Committee made the announcement on Saturday. The Session will be held in Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic. The IOC Executive Board approved this revised schedule during a meeting in Dakar, which took place before the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

The new framework is part of the IOC's 'Fit for the Future' reforms. Brisbane 2032 will be the first Olympic Games to apply it when deciding which sports are included.

The goal is to make the Olympic programme more adaptable while keeping it current and sustainable. Sports will be evaluated on the basis of defined criteria, including athlete participation, global popularity, cost and operational complexity.

The IOC Executive Board will meet in December 2026 to make key decisions. It will decide which existing sports are automatically recommended for Brisbane 2032. It will also choose which existing and potential sports will be compared against each other, and which potential sports will be excluded from the next stage. Most current sports are expected to be recommended automatically.

The IOC said the method was created in partnership with international sports federations. It is intended to support future sports programme planning, with Brisbane 2032 serving as the initial trial.

The IOC will apply the method in a flexible way, working with the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee. The organisers' earlier preparations and ongoing operational arrangements will be taken into account.

The Games are scheduled for 23 July to 8 August 2032.

Brisbane's path to hosting began when the IOC's Future Host Commission named it the preferred candidate on 24 February 2021. The city's bid was then formally endorsed on 21 July 2021 at the 138th IOC Session in Tokyo, Japan.