Cape Town 2040 is a think tank exploring the opportunity of a future Olympic and Paralympic Games in Cape Town, the Western Cape, and South Africa. Inspired by the IOC’s Agenda 2020+5 reforms, we examine how the Games could align with long-term development plans, strengthen sustainability, and advance inclusion—benefiting our communities, towns, cities, and country. Our work brings together ideas, research, and engagement in collaboration with academics, experts, practitioners, and students.

The initiative is co-convened by Rashiq Fataar (Our Future Cities) and Guy Briggs (dhk Architects). We collaborate with academics, practitioners, international experts, and students, including engagements with UCT architecture students and student design competitions.

South Africa is currently in an exploratory, non-binding phase with the IOC. In November 2024, the IOC publicly confirmed it welcomed South Africa’s interest and noted the country as an “Interested Party” for 2036. In November 2025, Cabinet approved South Africa entering Continuous Dialogue with the IOC as part of its intention to bid for 2036 or 2040. This is not a formal bid and it is not a host selection. CT2040 contributes independent, public-interest research to help inform what a future Games could mean and what it would require.

Agenda 2020+5 is the IOC’s plan, adopted in 2021, to modernise how the Olympic Games are delivered. It responds to concerns about escalating costs, complexity, and sustainability. The reforms prioritise using existing facilities, limiting unnecessary new construction, and designing Games investments so they deliver long-term public benefit.

Agenda 2020+5 shifts the Olympics away from a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach and towards a model tailored to each host’s context. Hosts are encouraged to use existing venues wherever possible, build temporary or modular facilities where needed, and spread events across a wider region to reduce cost and risk. In short, the Games should fit the city and region, not the other way around

2036 is the first possible window, but 2040 is a practical reference point for the scale of transformation required. It reflects the time needed to close major transport gaps, unlock housing delivery at scale, and build safer, more walkable public environments. Our work remains relevant for any future cycle, including 2036, 2040, or 2044, because the test is not the date. The test is whether the city and country are building what residents need for the long term.

CT2040 has begun building a practical evidence base through studies and collaborations, including:

• Sports Venues Assessment: An audit of competition venue requirements and what already exists locally (with a clear preference for existing and temporary solutions).

• Learning missions and case-study research: How recent hosts have used modular venues and avoided “white elephants”.

• Early accommodation and legacy thinking: How event-time needs could convert into long-term housing and student accommodation outcomes.

We assess the Games as a potential delivery accelerator for priorities that already matter to residents, including public transport upgrades, affordable housing and student accommodation, safer streets, and better public spaces. The strategic test is simple. If a project only makes sense for two weeks, it should not be pursued. If it strengthens the region for decades, it belongs in the discussion.

The IOC typically expects a host to guarantee around 41,000 rooms for Games stakeholders.
A common response is to rely heavily on short-term fixes, such as cruise ships, or to encourage large amounts of new hotel development that may not be needed after the event.
Our approach, consistent with Agenda 2020+5, is to treat accommodation as a legacy lever. The Accommodation Assessment explores meeting Games-time needs while planning for conversion to permanent supply afterwards, including 10,000 to 12,000 long-term homes, 5,000 to 8,000 new university beds, and the conversion of a media village into affordable and gap housing where it is most needed.
This would not solve the housing crisis on its own. For context, the Western Cape housing backlog has been reported at around 620,000 units, with the majority of demand concentrated in Cape Town, and Cape Town itself has reported more than 400,000 applicants on its housing database.

Affordability depends on separating two budgets that are often confused.

The Games operating budget (OCOG) covers the delivery of the event itself, such as staffing, technology, security, ceremonies, and event-time logistics. In the modern Olympic model, this budget is funded primarily through IOC revenues from global broadcasting and sponsorship, supported by ticket sales and licensing. It is not intended to be paid for entirely by local taxpayers.

Legacy investment (non-OCOG) includes long-life projects such as housing, public transport upgrades, public space, and any permanent facilities. These should only proceed where they meet real, long-term needs and have sustainable funding. Recent hosts have used dedicated delivery structures to manage this transparently and tightly, such as Paris 2024’s SOLIDEO.

2010 showed that South Africa can deliver major, deadline-driven projects, and that the real measure of success is what still serves residents afterwards. In Cape Town, this includes the MyCiTi BRT, which has since attracted over R10 billion in investment, upgrades to Cape Town International Airport, the renovation of Cape Town Station, and improvements to venues including Athlone Stadium and Philippi Stadium. It also proved the value of people-first public space through the Fan Walk, a safe pedestrian route that reconnected people to the city. The takeaway is straightforward. A major event can be worthwhile when it speeds up infrastructure the city needs anyway, especially transport and safe, walkable streets.

No. That is an outdated assumption. Under the IOC’s current approach, hosts are expected to maximise existing venues and use temporary facilities where appropriate. New permanent builds should be limited to clear, long-term community needs, not event spectacle. Our 2024 audit indicates that 84 percent of required venues already exist or can be temporary. We only propose new permanent construction for roughly 16 percent of venues, approximately six facilities, where there is a clear community need, such as international-standard swimming pools or indoor arenas that local athletes and youth currently lack.

No. Cape Town is the anchor host city, but the concept is designed to work across the city-region and wider Western Cape, and where it strengthens feasibility and legacy, across South Africa and potentially Southern Africa. The IOC’s reforms allow hosts to use existing venues and spread events across regional hubs rather than concentrating everything in one tight radius. In practice, that could include Jeffreys Bay for surfing, Soccer City for major football matches, and regional hubs such as Stellenbosch and Paarl for sports that fit existing facilities and logistics. This approach reduces pressure on any single precinct, supports multiple smaller athlete villages or accommodation hubs closer to venues, and helps ensure that benefits such as upgrades, jobs, skills, and visibility reach more communities.

Cape Town 2040 is an open platform. We welcome research input, expertise, and collaboration from organisations, practitioners, and students. If you would like to contribute or partner, contact us at hello@capetown2040.com

The work is not wasted. Research into housing backlogs, transport gaps, and sports facilities is valuable for Cape Town’s and South Africa’s growth regardless of any mega-event. It helps clarify what needs to be fixed, prioritised, and funded, whether or not a Games ever comes to our shores.