After a spurt in the 1990s into the early 2000s, it seemed like Americans went through a drought of having major international sporting events on home soil. But, that’s set to change in the next ten years, and Salt Lake City being set to host the 2034 Winter Olympics is just another major sporting event Americans can look forward to on home soil.
Reports from International Olympic Committee meetings just six weeks prior to the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France have made it sound like it’s merely a formality that the 2023 Winter Olympics will be held in Salt Lake City.
The IOC EB has proposed to the IOC Session the election of the French Alps as the host of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2030 and Salt Lake City-Utah as the host of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2034. The decision will be taken by all IOC Members at the 142nd…
— Christian Klaue (@ChKlaue) June 12, 2024
The next step towards the election of the hosts of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2030 and 2034 will be a virtual in-camera briefing to IOC Members on 26 June. If all requirements are met by the Preferred Hosts, the IOC Session is scheduled to vote on the IOC EB…
— Christian Klaue (@ChKlaue) June 12, 2024
It seems like forever ago now, but Salt Lake City was part of that stretch of events hosted on American soil in the 1990s and early 2000s. The city held a very successful Winter Olympics in February 2002, just months after the 9/11 attacks. Now, the games are going back to the city, the second piece of big sports news in Salt Lake recently. They won the battle for the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes, who will begin play in SLC next year.
We’re about to go on a major run here in the USA of major sporting events in the next decade. Here are some highlights, with the first two events happening this month.
- T20 Cricket World Cup
- 2024 Copa America
- 2025 FIFA Club World Cup
- 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup
- 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games
- Potential 2031 Women’s World Cup
- 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup
- 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup
- 2034 Winter Olympics
I’m sure I’m missing some, but that’s still an incredibly stacked lineup of events to attend stateside in the next ten years. There are definitely awesome times ahead for international sports fans here in the USA.
As for the 2034 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City proved to be an outstanding host 22 years ago, and should be again. Salt Lake City is one of the most underrated cities in the United States.
Salt Lake is one of only three American locations to host the Winter Olympics. The other two are Squaw Valley, which hosted in 1960, and Lake Placid, which hosted in 1932 and 1980.