BUDAPEST, Hungary– It’s down to Los Angeles and Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Budapest decided to withdraw its bid to host the games this afternoon.
The decision was made to avoid “a loss of international prestige” for Hungary, according to the Associated Press. Hungary’s bid reportedly had a very small chance of success.
The remaining two candidate cities will be up for an IOC vote to determine the host in September.
Previously, Hamburg (Germany) and Rome (Italy) withdrew their 2024 Olympic bids. The last time only two cities were finalists for a Summer Olympics was back in 1988, when it was down to Seoul (Korea) and Nagoya (Japan.) The 2022 Winter Games also came down to two cities: Beijing (China) and Almaty (Kazakhstan.)
Los Angeles and Paris are bidding to host the games for a record-tying third time. Only London (England) has done that. L.A. previously hosted in 1932 and 1984, while Paris hosted in 1900 and 1924.
The United States hasn’t hosted a Summer Games since 1996 (when it was in Atlanta, Georgia) and a Winter Games since 2002 (when it was in Salt Lake City, Utah.)
