Map Shows Which Countries Have Hosted the Most Olympics

Hosting the Olympics often brings significant attention to the host country and city, providing an opportunity to showcase their culture, advancements, and hospitality to the world. It also often leads to infrastructure development and economic impacts, both positive and negative, for the host.

A handful of countries have hosted the Games more than once, despite or because of those economic impacts. No country has hosted the event more than four times…though that will soon change. Newsweek has mapped which countries have hosted the most modern Summer Olympics since 1900, illustrating Europe and North America’s dominance as hosts.

Four-Time Hosts

The United States has hosted the most Summer Olympic Games, with four held between 2904 and 1996 in St. Louis (1904), Los Angeles (1932, 1984), and Atlanta (1996). It is currently the only nation to have hosted more than three times.

Three-Time Hosts

France has hosted the Summer Olympics in Paris three times. (1900,1924, and 2024).

The United Kingdom has also hosted the Summer Olympics three times, all in London (1908, 1948, 2012).

Two-Time Hosts

Germany has hosted the Summer Olympics twice, once in Berlin (1936) and once in Munich (1972). Australia hosted in Melbourne (1956) and Sydney (2000). Japan also hosted twice, both times in Tokyo (1964 and 2020).

Greece, from whence the tradition originates, has hosted the modern Summer Olympics in Athens twice (1986 and 2004).

One-Time Hosts

Italy hosted the Summer Games in Rome (1960), Brazil in Rio de Janeiro (2016), China in Beijing (2008), Russia in Moscow (1980), Belgium in Antwerp (1920), Canada in Montreal (1976).

Additionally, Summer Games were hosted in Helsinki, Finland (1952), Stockholm, Sweden (1912), Mexico City, Mexico (1968), Amsterdam, Netherlands (1928), Seoul, South Korea (1988), and Barcelona, Spain (1992).

Future Games

The Summer Games will return to American shores for a fifth time in 2028, once again in Los Angeles.

Newsweek has mapped the officially confirmed Los Angeles 2028 Olympic venue locations.

The venues for the Games are spread across Southern California, with key events held at iconic locations such as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, SoFi Stadium, and the LA Convention Center. The LA Memorial Coliseum, which has hosted the Olympics twice before, will be a central venue for athletics. SoFi Stadium, primarily a football stadium, will host the swimming events, showcasing a unique adaptation for the Games​​.

Los Angeles was awarded the 2028 Games after an unusual dual awarding process by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which simultaneously granted Paris the 2024 Games. This decision followed the withdrawal of other candidate cities, leaving only Los Angeles and Paris in the running.

Australia is also set to host another round of Summer Olympics, in 2032.

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