Germany Selects Munich for Olympic Games Bid

The German Olympic Committee (DOSB) has selected Munich as its candidate city to host the 2036, 2040, or 2044 Olympic Games, following a decision announced by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday in Baden-Baden. Munich was chosen over the Cologne/Rhine-Ruhr region after Berlin withdrew from consideration on Thursday and Hamburg had previously withdrawn in May. Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder emphasized the importance of unity in bringing the Games to Germany, stating, "We want to give everything to present ourselves as a united country – from north to south and from east to west." The Munich bid focuses on the Olympic Park, which was originally built for the 1972 Games and has undergone renovations in recent years. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz congratulated Munich, expressing eagerness for the event. In a referendum held in late 2025, approximately 66.4 percent of voters supported hosting the Games, with a turnout of 44 percent. This positive outcome contrasts with previous unsuccessful bids for the 2022 Winter Games in Munich and the 2024 Summer Games in Hamburg. The DOSB plans to engage in a continuous dialogue with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) leading up to a shortlisting process in March 2027, with the IOC expected to designate preferred hosts by late 2028 and make a final selection by mid-2029. If successful, this would mark the third time Germany has hosted the Olympics, following the 1936 Games in Berlin and the 1972 Games in Munich, which were marred by a terrorist attack resulting in the deaths of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team.