The Asian Games competition is considering shifting its calendar to odd-numbered years, aiming to pave the way for the 2032 Olympics, while Thailand remains a hopeful contender to host the Youth Olympics. Recently, the IOC conducted an on-site readiness inspection.
At the continental level, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is considering adjusting the Asian Games calendar to odd-numbered years, starting with the host Qatar, originally scheduled for 2030, which may be postponed to 2031, followed similarly by Saudi Arabia.
The goal of this schedule change is to elevate the Asian Games as the final preparatory event before the 2032 Summer Olympics in Australia, allowing athletes to test their abilities in high-level competition before the Olympics.
Thailand has a significant chance, but key conditions include obtaining "government approval" and ensuring infrastructure readiness, which will determine the fate of its historic hosting dream.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegation, led by Danka Eubegova, Chair of the 2030 Youth Olympic Games working group, officially arrived in Thailand on 27 April 2026. They were welcomed at Suvarnabhumi Airport by Preecha Lalun, Deputy Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) for Elite Sports and Sports Science.
The IOC team's important task is to conduct on-site inspections in Bangkok and Chonburi from 28 to 30 April to assess readiness for hosting the 2030 Youth Olympic Games, for which Thailand is one of the three final candidate countries alongside Chile and Paraguay.
Domestically, at the National Olympic Committee of Thailand office, Assoc. Prof. Pimol Srivikorn, Chair of the committee, revealed progress after discussions with Anutin Charnvirakul, stating that only key government documents remain outstanding—specifically, an official endorsement letter and guarantees for 5,000 hotel rooms to submit to the IOC.
The IOC will select the host at the General Assembly meeting on 25 June 2026 in Lausanne, Switzerland.