In an interview with Nemzeti Sport on Saturday, Orbán noted that while Hungary’s performance at the Paris Olympics was “respectable,” the country should aim to rank “in the top 10” in terms of medal counts, news agency MTI reported.

Orbán revealed that he had hoped for eight gold medals from the Hungarian team, rather than the six they achieved in Paris.

He emphasized that for Hungary to advance, it must not only build on its experiences from Paris but also remain competitive in new Olympic sports and explore untapped potential in areas such as cycling and combat sports.

Discussing the possibility of hosting the Olympics, Orbán stated that an Olympic Games in Budapest would require the backing of the municipal council. “If we want to, we can bring the ’36 [Games] here,” he added, underlining the city’s readiness to host such a major international event.

This isn’t the first time Orbán has floated the idea of Budapest hosting the Olympics. He had strongly supported the city’s bid for the 2024 Games, but the effort was ultimately derailed by the “Nolimpia” campaign, spearheaded by the then-new opposition party Momentum.