The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, announces that the city will consider reapplying for the Olympic bid now that it has transformed. This comes after the organisational success of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which debuted this year on the calendar.
The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has stated that the city will consider bidding for the Olympic Games again. He made this comment during a breakfast at the Club Siglo XXI, contrasting the current situation with the three previous failed attempts (2012, 2016, and 2020). "In the three previous occasions, we had the need and the capacity to transform ourselves; now we have done it. We are going to take on the challenge and make decisions," the mayor noted, as reported by ABC.
The mayor has focused on the change in context. Unlike previous bids, he asserts that Madrid no longer needs the infrastructure that justified the event back then. "Call me traditional, but the one who benefits from Madrid is the International Olympic Committee," he stated. The capital previously attempted to host the 1972 Games in 1966, losing out to Munich after surpassing Detroit and Montreal.
This announcement comes after the debut of the Madrid Formula 1 Grand Prix, held this year at the new Madring circuit. The event, the first of ten signed editions, has been marked by an organisation that Almeida himself describes as excellent. "There is always room for improvement, but we have the model. They have told us from Formula 1: no Grand Prix has had the relevance and excellence we have achieved in the first year," he declared. Despite this, he admits that the track, which is narrow with few overtaking points, needs adjustments, and discussions are already underway to modify some sections ahead of 2027.
The mayor also responded to the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, who had labelled the race as a "disaster". "He knows more about Formula 1 than about trains. Any person with a minimum of decency would not act as he does and would explain the causes of the Adamuz accident," he retorted. The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, echoed this sentiment: "He does not take care of his own responsibilities, let alone know about Formula 1 tracks. I won't get involved, but if he is so clever, then let Formula 1 hire him to ruin it."
Beyond the political conflict, the mayor has listed the major events that the capital will host in the coming years. In 2027, the Metropolitano Stadium will host the final of the Champions League, which it previously hosted in 2019, and La Vuelta will return to Madrid after its departure from Granada this year. The city maintains fixed events such as the Mutua Madrid Open, the Comunidad de Madrid Premier Padel P1, the Athletics Meeting, and the final of the Rugby World Series Sevens. Additionally, the 2029 Basketball World Cup will have Madrid as the main venue, and Spain is competing with Morocco to host the final of the 2030 World Cup at the Santiago Bernabéu.
To resume the Olympic race, Almeida has called for unity among all administrations. "There must be agreement and institutional consensus," he emphasised, without specifying timelines or dates for a possible bid.
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