2031 Pan American Games

[SportLightning]

Asuncion might have a big shot to host this Pan American Games. It's gonna be a tight battle.

[brasilolimpico]

I live near the border between Brazil and Paraguay and I know the country.

Despite the enormous progress that Paraguay has made in recent years, it is still a country with enormous challenges. I think that hosting the Pan American Games would still be too much for them.

[neneu10]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DI4brG2pw5D/

 

https://ge.globo.com/jogos-pan-americanos/noticia/2025/04/25/rio-e-niteroi-apresentam-logo-da-candidatura-do-pan-de-2031.ghtml

 

 

[intoronto]

Looks like the winning bid will be announced at the 2025 Junior Pan Am Games in Ascunion.

[intoronto]

^ that was wrong lol

 

Panamsports is currently in Asuncion doing sight visits and will be in Rio after their visit in Paraguay.

[SportLightning]

Oct 10 in Santiago de Chile, Pan Am Sports will decide who will be awarded the 2031 games. Asuncion may have a great chance after the city's successful hosting of Junior Pan Am Games.

[SportLightning]

We await this friday as both Asuncion and Rio-Niteroi have met the requirments. Asuncion is the favorite to host because of Paraguay's strong government support, good experience at hosting this year's Junuior Pan American Games and good infrastructure. While Rio-Niteroi lacks Brazil's government support comparing to Asuncion's bid. Because of the Brazil bid facing government support lack, that could give Asuncion the 2031 edition this time after losing the 2027 edition to Lima.

[SportLightning]

1 minute ago, SportLightning said:

We await this friday as both Asuncion and Rio-Niteroi have met the requirments. Asuncion is the favorite to host because of Paraguay's strong government support, good experience at hosting this year's Junuior Pan American Games and good infrastructure. While Rio-Niteroi lacks Brazil's government support comparing to Asuncion's bid. Because of the Brazil bid facing government support lack, that could give Asuncion the 2031 edition this time after losing the 2027 edition to Lima.

Here's their bid logo.

[intoronto]

Voting about to start.

RIo's proposed budget is almost double Ascuncion's.

[intoronto]

The 2031 Pan American Games will be hosted by Asuncion !!! 

[SportLightning]

Asuncion won the bid.

[intoronto]

On 2/1/2025 at 6:18 PM, Roger87 said:

Nah, this is Rio to lose. 

🤣

[SportLightning]

Just as i hoped for. They got it this time after losing to Lima for the 2027 edition.

[SportLightning]

That was by 4 votes 28-24 same number as 2027.

[brasilolimpico]

Brazil is the main market for TV rights to the Games, especially given the US's lack of interest.

Choosing Rio would offer a chance to bring back TV Globo, by far the largest media outlet in Brazil and capable of guaranteeing coverage for the event.

The IOC awarded London 2012 to RecordTV, but soon regretted the decision, faced with an event with significantly less coverage. They corrected their mistake and have since guaranteed TV Globo coverage for all Olympics.

PanAm Sports made a poor choice. Since signing a contract with RecordTV for the 2011-2019 cycle, the event has lost significant coverage, and they were ultimately left off TV in 2023. As far as we know, they remain without a partner for 2027.

The 2031 Games in Rio could have meant a good financial deal with TV Globo for 2027 and 2031.

[yoshi]

Paraguay seems to be becoming the Saudi* of the Americas, they're hoovering up sporting events! Talking about the US, I'm very surprised they don't care about these. I'd have thought there's dozens of US cities that could easily host, but wouldn't get an Olympics. Plus if they put a full team in, they'd surely be at or near top of the table, which America always likes. Why don't they care, especially since this goes back before Trump?

*Presumably they've found loads of money - is it oil or something else?

Edited October 12, 2025 by yoshi

[Guilga]

1 hour ago, yoshi said:

*Presumably they've found loads of money - is it oil or something else?

They found sport politics; the president of COMNEBOL is Paraguayan for example, which factored in they getting a single WC2030 match. Similarly, Assuncion just hosted the Junior PanAms, which was also a factor for them to get the adult 2031 edition.

[SportLightning]

On 10/12/2025 at 7:36 AM, brasilolimpico said:

Brazil is the main market for TV rights to the Games, especially given the US's lack of interest.

Choosing Rio would offer a chance to bring back TV Globo, by far the largest media outlet in Brazil and capable of guaranteeing coverage for the event.

The IOC awarded London 2012 to RecordTV, but soon regretted the decision, faced with an event with significantly less coverage. They corrected their mistake and have since guaranteed TV Globo coverage for all Olympics.

PanAm Sports made a poor choice. Since signing a contract with RecordTV for the 2011-2019 cycle, the event has lost significant coverage, and they were ultimately left off TV in 2023. As far as we know, they remain without a partner for 2027.

The 2031 Games in Rio could have meant a good financial deal with TV Globo for 2027 and 2031.

Asuncion was a low risk bidder comparing to Rio-Niteroi. Maybe next time for Rio-Niteroi. They could bid for 2035, unless they're not interested for that year.

[Sir Rols]

41 minutes ago, SportLightning said:

Asuncion was a low risk bidder comparing to Rio-Niteroi. Maybe next time for Rio-Niteroi. They could bid for 2035, unless they're not interested for that year.

Asuncion “low risk”??? Compared to Rio?
You really are comical sometimes.

[SportLightning]

2 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

Asuncion “low risk”??? Compared to Rio?
You really are comical sometimes.

No, it was a low risk bidder. It had many existing venues, got enough government support and Junior Pan Am Games experience. The Pan Am Games village, a new athletic stadium and a new arena need to be built. Rio's was a high risk cuz it didn't get enough government support, hotel problems and many new venues would've been built and some existing venues would've been used if Rio-Niteroi would've won. That's why Asuncion (which i was infavor of) won over Rio by 4 vote 28-24 (Same as 2027 bid which they lost to Lima).

[SportLightning]

So rols, u were wrong about Asuncion not hosting it. So they will in 2031 after a strong bid

[brasilolimpico]

What are the hotel problems in Rio?

Asunción's hotel capacity is far below that of at least a dozen Brazilian cities, both in quality and number of rooms.

Rio-Niterói offered a better bid, for a grander event with an Olympic atmosphere. Brazil is currently the largest market for the Pan American Games.

I like the idea of Paraguay hosting the games. Geographically, Asunción is closer to my home than Rio. I wish the Paraguayans all the best, but Rio was a more robust proposal. Of course, political factors and the behind-the-scenes strength of the Paraguayan bid had a positive impact.