 The Brazilian Olympic Committee ( COB ) chose Rio de Janeiro as its bidding city to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics , during its Annual Assembly on September 1 , 2006 . This was the city 's first bid that proceeded to the Candidature phase , after three failed attempts to host the Games in 1936 , 2004 and 2012 . The lengthy and intensive bidding process was concluded with the election of Rio de Janeiro as the host city during the <unk> IOC Session , held in Copenhagen , Denmark , on October 2 , 2009 . It will be the first city in South America to host the Games . 
