Between the end of September 2025 and 5 December, the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Switzerland 2038 association submitted a comprehensive application to the Swiss Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO), explaining all of the main areas of the project, such as the concept, its legacy, sustainability, the venues, logistics, transport, security and financing.

The DDPS is now focussing on initiating a consultation procedure and presenting the dispatch on the policy and planning resolution to parliament. The aim is to utilise the opportunity to enter into “privileged dialogue” and provide the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with all of the requisite guarantees by the deadline in spring 2027.

Over the coming months, the association will work together with the IOC to resolve any outstanding issues so that all of the technicalities can be addressed by the start of 2027.

One of the main differences is the invitation to enter into privileged dialogue. This means that Switzerland does not have to compete against other bids and is thus the only country to be in discussion with the IOC about its application.

Another big difference is the decentralised approach taken in our bid. Unlike in previous bids, we have intentionally planned to make use of multiple venues across the country. This will not only ensure that all of the country’s language regions are involved in and can profit from the Games, but also that the load will be spread optimally, thus making the Games more manageable and sustainable on the whole.

In contrast with previous Swiss bids, Switzerland 2038 will also be financed mainly from private funding and the federal government does not intend to guarantee that it will cover any deficits. 

Serving as the basis for the plan, the Feasibility Study Switzerland 203X proposed making use of the venues used in the various world cups and European championships. This way, all of the infrastructure and expertise already in place would be utilised in an optimal manner.

The Venue Master Plan (VMP) 2038 is based on these plans. With a number of systematic adaptations, it should provide everyone involved with an authentic Olympic experience, meet the requirements set out by the IOC and create the maximum added value for the whole of Switzerland. At the same time, the decentralised concept of the VMP ensures that the Games can be experienced and enjoyed throughout the entire country.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was impressed with the potential of the national project for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games presented by Switzerland in November 2023. Holding the Games in Switzerland would be a viable option due to the broad support offered by the federal government, the cantons and the cities hosting the venues. The IOC, headquartered in Lausanne since 1915, subsequently invited Switzerland to enter into a privileged dialogue regarding the 2038 Games.

By entering into a privileged dialogue with Switzerland, the IOC has made an extraordinary decision and has sent out a very strong signal. The IOC has committed to engaging in exclusive dialogue with Switzerland and reserving it the right to host the 2038 Winter Games until the end of 2027. The privileged dialogue status means that Switzerland has until the end of 2027 to optimise its application and obtain the necessary support.

With its Agenda 2020+5 and the changes to the awarding and implementation criteria (“New Norm”) the IOC has laid the foundations for a new era, with the vision behind the “Switzerland 2038” project being based on these. With its application to be the first host country of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games instead of the Games being award to an individual city, Switzerland is set to take a pioneering role, help to actively and innovatively shape a new era and ensure that Swiss society benefits from the Games in the long term. 

Switzerland would become the first host country in history to hold the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. This national concept brings together the country’s four language regions and promotes social cohesion. 

For the Switzerland 2038 association, this means that venues for Olympic events are planned to be organised in all four of the country’s language regions.

The IOC has constantly emphasised that the political support that the application has received from a very early stage is of central importance. The decision made by the Swiss Federal Council in autumn 2024 sent a clear message to the IOC – Switzerland is willing and ready to host the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, provided that the in-depth assessments that will be carried out by 2027 confirm that a bid is feasible under the predefined framework conditions. This will give the project the necessary legitimacy at the very highest political level.

Similar to a national exhibition or a European Football Championship, some cantons and municipalities will be directly involved with venues, while others do not have any venues but can participate in a Swiss project and, where there is demand, use the event to organise local offerings and activities (such as training camps, public viewing sites, activity projects, etc.). 

Such major events facilitate and promote associated projects throughout the entire country. Regardless of where they live, the entire population can actively participate, as was observed in connection with Paris 2024 and the UEFA Women’s EURO. Furthermore, an event of this magnitude can motivate people to engage in more sporting activities, which would prove beneficial to all of Switzerland’s residents.

A wide range of national partners have already confirmed that they would be interested in reviewing potential synergies should the Games be awarded to Switzerland. Such partners include the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK), the Konferenz der kantonalen Sportbeauftragten (Swiss Conference of Cantonal Sports Commissioners – KKS) and Swiss universities. This shows that the whole country is interested in working together and benefiting from the Switzerland 2038 project.

The entire budget of CHF 2.2 billion will largely be financed by the IOC and from private funding. The Swiss government and public authorities will contribute at most 18% of the funding required. The Fachdirektorenkonferenz der Geldspiele (the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Gaming – FDKG) confirmed on 24 November that it would provide the requested CHF 60 million for the Paralympics. The remaining 15% will be borne by the federal government, the cantons and the municipalities in the form of subsidies, as is the norm for other significant sporting events. The Swiss federal government has been requested to provide CHF 190 million over 10 years.

The results of a representative survey carried out by the independent institute gfs.bern in 2023 revealed widespread approval, with 67% of the Swiss population being in favour of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games being held in Switzerland. The gfs.bern institute also regularly conducts surveys for federal referenda.

The sample size of approximately 1000 people meets scientific standards and represents a proven compromise between the work required and meaningfulness. In order to ensure that the survey results are representative of the entire Swiss population, the raw data from the gfs.bern survey results were weighted by socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, language region, level of education and political affiliation.

Sustainability is a key element in the planning, organisation and holding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The aim is for the Games of the future to be held in host venues without any friction and to make use of existing infrastructure. At Paris 2024, 95% of the infrastructure already existed or was temporary and 98% of the energy consumed was sourced from renewable resources.

With the concept proposed here in Switzerland, we want to and are able to reduce emissions to a low level and at the same time use the Games to drive forward the country’s transformation into a sustainable society in a wide range of areas. Brisbane 2032 is a good example of such a proposal being put into practice with relevant projects and collaborations between the government, businesses, environmental organisations and the local municipalities.

For example, the idea is for the venues to promote regional consumption and encourage the local population to use the infrastructure.

The assertion that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are never sustainable from an ecological perspective is too short-sighted and ignores the developments made in recent years, such as in the fields of renewable energies and mobility. Environmental sustainability should also never be judged in isolation – social and economic sustainability are equally important.  

It is true that major events always have an impact on the environment, e.g. due to travel activity, the increased energy consumption as well as light and noise emissions. However, we are confident that the framework conditions in Switzerland will allow for the environmental impacts to be reduced to the greatest extent possible. For example, the transport concept benefits from the outstanding public transport infrastructure in Switzerland and the Swiss capacity for innovation will enable new solutions to be promoted, e.g. in the field of smart infrastructure.

Partnerships and the support of everyone involved will be needed to ensure that the Winter Games are as environmentally sustainable as possible. It is important that existing activities and initiatives are able to be integrated on a national, cantonal and municipal level and can be promoted further thanks to the Games.

Switzerland 2038 is set to be the “most sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games” – thanks to the outstanding conditions in Switzerland as well as the desire to use the Games as a catalyst for the development of innovative and sustainable solutions and thus to press on with the environmental transformation of sport and society.

The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Switzerland 2038 association is currently making every effort to bring together the relevant stakeholders from sporting, political and business circles to give all of Switzerland and our athletes the opportunity to one day be able to experience the Winter Games in our home country.

The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Switzerland 2038 association was founded by Swiss Olympic, Swiss Paralympic and the national Olympic wintersports associations in November 2023 with the aim of pressing ahead with the project and creating a point of contact for all of the partners involved (the Swiss federal government, the cantons, the municipalities, the IOC, etc.). In accordance with its Articles of Association, it has been tasked with achieving the following objectives:

a) Organising and conducting the privileged dialogue with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as regards holding the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Switzerland in 2038

b) Conducting a potential targeted dialogue with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as regards holding the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Switzerland in 2038

c) Preparing, supporting and facilitating the bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to be held in Switzerland in 2038 in collaboration with the Swiss Confederation and the cantons, municipalities and cities on a national and international level

d) In the event that the Games are awarded to Switzerland, organising and holding the Games in collaboration with the IOC (as the body that awards the right to organise the Games) and public bodies, i.e. the Swiss Confederation, the host cantons and the municipalities hosting the venues, as well as private organisation and individuals