The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to allow a double allocation of two Winter Games in a row at the IOC Session in Mumbai, India on Sunday.

The hosts of the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympics will be decided in the next IOC Session in Paris next year. Sweden, Switzerland and France lead the way in the bid for the 2030 Games, and Salt Lake City of the U.S. expressed interest in hosting the next in line.

The major concern that pushed back the decision was the increasingly short supply of natural snow in some regions. The IOC's Future Host Commission came to the conclusion that by 2040, only 10 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) would be able to host snow events from February to March when the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games typically take place. Meanwhile, within seven years, there will be two out of the existing 15 NOCs failing to meet the standards of an average temperature and sustainability.

Japan's Sapporo pulled out from the race as a 2030 favorite due to the lack of domestic support following the Tokyo 2020 corruption scandals, and is in doubt if it will continue to bid for the 2034 Games.

The U.S. favors the 2034 Winter Games as it leaves a relatively larger gap between the winter event and the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

This was the second time that the IOC decided on a double allocation. The last time was in 2017, when the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games were decided at the same time, given the tradition that the IOC should announce the decision seven years ahead of the Games.

The IOC Future Host Commission chief Karl Stoss emphasized the importance of preserving the "uniqueness" of the Olympic Games as a top priority whilst exploring new approaches of hosting. 

The next Winter Games will take place in Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, in 2026.