Egypt’s Youth & Sport Minister Ashraf Sobhi has said that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has approved plans to bid for the 2036 Olympic Games.

The minister’s comments were published in a social media post by the ministry following a visit to Cairo by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach.

The statement added that Bach had confirmed that Egypt's sporting infrastructure would allow it to host the 2036 edition of the games.

Sobhi revealed Cairo’s plans to bid for the Olympics in an interview in January this year.

The bid could be viewed favourably by the Olympics’ organisers as the IOC has previously commented on its desire for the continent of Africa to host the games, which would also be a first for the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia's sporting ambitions

Riyadh has also recently expressed interest in hosting the Olympic Games. “We are open to discuss with the IOC about this [Olympics] for the future. I think Saudi Arabia has showcased that we can host such events,” said Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal in an interview with AFP in August.

“Definitely, the Olympics would be an ultimate goal for us ... But we are open to that and I think we can,” he added.

Riyadh is reported to be planning a tripartite bid to host football’s Fifa World Cup in 2030, along with Egypt and Greece.

If the bid is successful, it would mean the tournament would be played in the winter to avoid the summer heat. It is understood that Saudi Arabia would be the lead partner and pay for – or at least contribute to – the infrastructure costs in the other two countries.

The prospect of the Middle East hosting the football world cup in 2030 comes as Qatar prepares to host the 2022 edition of the tournament, which begins in November.