Independent reports, commissioned by future host regions, forecast the value of economic benefits of upcoming Games editions. The size of the impact is dependent on local market conditions and the individual context of each event. In all cases, from Paris 2024 to Milano Cortina 2026, LA28 and Brisbane 2032, the economic benefits for the city, region and country are predicted to far outweigh the Games-related investments.
The IOC makes a significant contribution in cash, in services and in value-in-kind to the success of each edition of the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games. This stimulates the regional and national economy, and generates government revenues which help to compensate any public investments. The IOC contribution also supports the organisation of the Paralympic Games. It is common practice for the Paralympic Games to receive a public contribution.
The IOC assists Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs) in many other ways, including by providing daily support and expertise. The IOC is in charge of broadcasting the Games, and ensures the delivery of host broadcasting operations.
As per the Olympic Host Contract, the IOC requires that all Organising Committees provide annual financial statements certified by an independent certified public accountant.
Ninety per cent of the IOC’s revenue is re-distributed to the global Olympic Movement. Every day the IOC gives a total of USD 4.2 million to Olympic stakeholders such as Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, National Olympic Committees, International Federations and athletes.
Find out more about the funding of the Olympic Games on the IOC website, and see the latest financial statements in the 2022 IOC Annual Report (page 144).
It is important to differentiate between the cost of organising the Games, which is almost entirely privately funded, and long-term capital investments, which represent a city, region or country planning for its future. In order to host, there is no Games-required capital investment by the city, region or country, and hosts are encouraged as far as possible to use existing venues, even if these are located outside the main hosting region.A respected study showed that, for 10 Olympic Games editions from 2000 to 2018, the organising committees’ operational budgets were almost entirely privately funded, and broke even or generated profit.
To ensure the greatest possible legacy, it is very important for the IOC that hosting the Olympic Games aligns with the host’s existing long-term social and economic development plans, as well as the goals of the Olympic Movement – set out by Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5 – and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The Olympic Games have a tremendous power to help hosts shine a spotlight on key issues. Governments and other stakeholders can achieve maximum impact by combining different funding sources and ambitions with the timeline for the Games.
Hosting the Games can also contribute to achieving wide-ranging social and environmental benefits. Read more in the IOC Legacy Strategy or, to search for legacies from specific editions of the Olympic Games, visit the Olympic legacy page on the IOC website.