Which city hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics?

Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics. The Games of the XXXI Olympiad were held in the Brazilian city from August 5 to 21, 2016, with some preliminary events beginning two days earlier.

Rio’s selection was announced at the International Olympic Committee session in Copenhagen on October 2, 2009. It defeated Madrid in the final voting round after Chicago and Tokyo were eliminated. The decision marked the first time the Summer Olympics had been held in South America.

The 2016 Games also had several historic distinctions: they were the first Olympics in a Portuguese-speaking country and the first Summer Games staged entirely during the host nation’s winter season. Competitions took place across Rio’s Maracanã, Copacabana, Deodoro and Barra zones, while football matches were also played in other Brazilian cities.

A common mix-up is confusing Rio with São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city. São Paulo hosted some football matches, but Rio de Janeiro was the official Olympic host city.