Stockholm, citing financial reasons, withdraws its 2026 Olympics bid
The city of Stockholm, citing financial uncertainty, has withdrawn its bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. Like many other cities considering bids for various Olympics over the next decade, the city of Stockholm looked at the spiraling costs to host an Olympics — now well into the double-digit billions for a two-week event — and decided to fold.
Stockholm mayor Karin Wanngard indicated that the city withdrew its bid because the International Olympic Committee was unable to provide the figures on its anticipated financial contribution until at least November. That, city officials said, was not enough time to bring together the various stakeholders necessary to buy in on a full bid that would cost the region billions.
Stockholm hosted the 1912 Summer Olympics, but has never hosted a Winter Games. Three years ago, the city withdrew its bid for the 2022 Games because of financial concerns; those Games were eventually awarded to Beijing.
Cities still currently considering a bid for the 2026 Games include Calgary, Canada; Erzurum, Turkey; Innsbruck, Austria; Patagonia, Argentina; Sapporo, Japan; and Sion, Switzerland.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.
