The Turkish Olympic Committee (TMOK) announced the selection of Istanbul as Turkey's candidate on July 7, 2011.

[4] In January 2012, Istanbul 2020 sent a delegation to the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics in Innsbruck to help promote the bid.

[6] In March 2012, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey is also interested in bidding to host the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship.

[9] On May 8, 2012, IOC President Jacques Rogge stated that if Istanbul was to be awarded the 2020 Olympics that they would have to withdraw as hosts of UEFA Euro 2020.

[10] While it initially looked like Turkey would be the sole bidder for UEFA Euro 2020, two other bids for the event have also been submitted.

This decision, therefore, eliminated the potential conflict Turkey would have had due to that fact they had bids to host the Olympics and the UEFA Championship in the same year.

[18][19] In December 2012, Istanbul hosted the 2012 FINA Short Course World Championships at the Sinan Erdem Dome.

[21] In April 2013, Tokyo 2020 Chairman Naoki Inose created controversy when he made a comment that was seen as a criticism of Istanbul and their bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

But Islamic countries, the only thing they share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other and they have classes.”[22] Criticizing rival bids are forbidden under IOC rules.

"[25] Istanbul 2020 released a statement saying that "despite these recent events, all sections of Turkey remain united in our dream to host our nation’s first-ever Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020.

"[26] IOC President Jacques Rogge stated that these events would not negatively impact the city's bid.

[27] IOC Presidential Candidate Thomas Bach also stated that he did not believe that these events would hurt the bid.

The 2020 IOC Evaluation Commission Report on the Candidate Cities for the 2020 Summer Olympics was released on June 25.

[30] Istanbul 2020 gave a presentation of their bid to the IOC at an Extraordinary session in Lausanne in July 2013.

The host city of the 2020 Summer Olympics was elected at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 7, 2013.

According to the data of the Association of the Touristic Hotels and Investors (TUROB) of the Republic of Turkey, at the end of 2010, 766 accommodation establishments of different categories in Istanbul (licensed by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Turkey and/or the municipality of Istanbul) had the total of 46,652 rooms and 93,299 beds.

The logo combines the outline of a tulip, a traditional symbol of the city, with elements of the Istanbul skyline centered around the Maiden's Tower.