France and the United States are the lone countries to have their bids to host the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympic Games approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s special commission, the IOC said in a statement on Wednesday, according to TASS.

"Following a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, the IOC Executive Board (EB) today invited the French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF) and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) into Targeted Dialogues towards hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2030 in the French Alps, and the 2034 edition in Salt Lake City, Utah," the statement reads.

"The IOC will now start more detailed discussions with the Preferred Hosts, led by their National Olympic Committees (NOCs), with the aim of awarding both editions at the 142nd IOC Session in July in Paris," the statement added.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Karl Stoss, the head of the IOC’s Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, said President of the United States Joe Biden voiced his personal support for the US bid to host the Winter Games in Utah.

Sweden and Switzerland have also shown interest in hosting the 2030 Winter Olympics. The IOC stated today that Switzerland was put on the short list to host the 2038 Olympics.

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will be held in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo between February 6 and 22, 2026.

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