Potential 2016 Host: Rio

City: Rio de Janiero, Brazil

Population: 6,100,000

Has City Hosted: No

Country Last Hosted: Never

Pros: Honestly, there isn’t much. Rio is a popular tourist destination, and a vibrant exotic city. It also would be the first South American city to ever host an Olympics. This could be either a big chip in their favor if the IOC thinks the continent deserves a chance, or they could decide South America just doesn’t have the infrastructure. Rio hosted the 2007 Pan-Am Games, and Pan-Am President Mario Vasquez Rana called the event the most successful in its history. That, plus the fact that the Summer games will have spent 4 quadrennia in Europe and Asia/Oceania could put the 2016 games in Rio.

Cons: Rio is a city plagued by crime. Public transportation in Rio needs tremendous improvement by 2016 in order to be ready for the influx of competitors and tourists. Having the venues in four smaller zones could also pose a problem to Rio’s bid, and the games will be much more spread out than the ones in Beijing. Also, Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup, and the double has been done 3 times before by Mexico, Germany and the United States.

Chances: Rio’s bid appears weaker than Tokyo’s and probably on par with Madrid’s, but current IOC President Jacque Rogge’s wish to get the Olympics into South America might give them a lift.