In 2024, the Summer Olympics will return to Paris, offering a beautiful and familiar backdrop for this prestigious event. Paris, one of the most frequent hosts in the
128-year history of the modern Olympics, will join another European city, London, as the only cities to host the Summer Games three times.
Here’s a detailed look at the cities and countries that have hosted the Olympics most frequently and a year-by-year overview of the Olympic host cities.
Cities Hosting the Olympics Multiple Times
Since the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896, only five cities have hosted the Summer Games more than once. Paris' 2024 Games will mark its third time hosting, putting it in an exclusive club with London.
London, United Kingdom: Hosted in 1908, 1948, and 2012.
Paris, France: Hosted in 1900, 1924, and scheduled for 2024.
Los Angeles, United States: Hosted in 1932 and 1984, and will host again in 2028.
Athens, Greece: Hosted in 1896 and 2004.
Tokyo, Japan: Hosted in 1964 and 2020.
Notably, Los Angeles is set to join London and Paris in the three-time host category when it hosts the Games in 2028. Additionally, Beijing is the only city to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics, achieving this in 2008 and 2022, respectively.
Olympic Host Cities by Year
A total of 24 different cities have hosted the Summer Olympics. Here is a chronological list of these host cities:
1896: Athens, Greece
1900: Paris, France
1904: St. Louis, United States
1908: London, United Kingdom
1912: Stockholm, Sweden
1920: Antwerp, Belgium
1924: Paris, France
1928: Amsterdam, Netherlands
1932: Los Angeles, United States
1936: Berlin, Germany
1948: London, United Kingdom
1952: Helsinki, Finland
1956: Melbourne, Australia (Equestrian events in Stockholm, Sweden)
1960: Rome, Italy
1964: Tokyo, Japan
1968: Mexico City, Mexico
1972: Munich, Germany
1976: Montreal, Canada
1980: Moscow, Soviet Union
1984: Los Angeles, United States
1988: Seoul, South Korea
1992: Barcelona, Spain
1996: Atlanta, United States
2000: Sydney, Australia
2004: Athens, Greece
2008: Beijing, China
2012: London, United Kingdom
2016: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2020: Tokyo, Japan
2024: Paris, France
2028: Los Angeles, United States
2032: Brisbane, Australia
The Olympics have been canceled three times: in 1916 due to World War I and in 1940 and 1944 due to World War II. The 1940 Games were originally planned for Tokyo but were moved to Helsinki before being canceled. London hosted the first post-war Games in 1948, while Helsinki hosted in 1952, and Tokyo returned to the rotation in 1964.
Countries Hosting the Most Olympics
Seven countries have hosted the Summer Olympics multiple times, with the United States leading the pack.
United States: 1904, 1932, 1984, 1996 (and scheduled for 2028)
United Kingdom: 1908, 1948, 2012
France: 1900, 1924, 2024
Australia: 1956, 2000 (and scheduled for 2032)
Japan: 1964, 2020
Germany: 1936, 1972
Greece: 1896, 2004
The United States is set to host the Summer Games for a fifth time in 2028, and Australia will host for a third time in 2032. Future host cities beyond these dates have not yet been announced by the International Olympic Committee.
The 2024 Paris Olympics are highly anticipated, promising a vibrant celebration of sport against the iconic backdrop of one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Photo by Alexander Kachkaev, Wikimedia commons.