Hamburg votes 'No' to Olympics for second time, reshaping Germany's 2036-2044 bid race

Hamburg has definitively ruled itself out of the running to host a future Summer Olympics, with 54.9% of voters opposing a bid in a city-wide referendum. The result, announced on Sunday evening, marks the second time in eleven years that the Hanseatic city's residents have rejected the prospect of hosting the Games, following a similar vote against a 2024 bid in 2015. Turnout reached 49.5%, with roughly 1.3 million residents aged 16 and over eligible to cast a ballot. Notably, not a single one of Hamburg's seven districts recorded a majority in favor of the bid.

Immediate political fallout

Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) swiftly acknowledged the binding result, stating he had informed the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and the IOC's German representative that the city was withdrawing its application.

The vote against the bid is binding for the Senate. I regret the decision, but I have just informed the President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation that Hamburg will not maintain its bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Tschentscher vowed to press ahead with major infrastructure projects without the momentum of an Olympic bid. His deputy, Katharina Fegebank (Greens), called the outcome a "bitter disappointment and a missed opportunity for our city."

Opposition celebrates, demands consequences

The Left Party faction celebrated the result as a victory against a costly pro-Olympic campaign. Co-leader Heike Sudmann labeled the Senate's efforts an "arrogant and unfair campaign" that had split the city with "moral blackmail and threats."

This is a strong result and a good decision for the whole city. The people of Hamburg did not let themselves be blinded by the Senate and its colossal Olympic propaganda battle.

She demanded that the First Mayor and all senators draw consequences and question their policies. The far-right AfD faction seized the moment to call for Tschentscher's resignation, with faction leader Dirk Nockemann arguing the mayor had misjudged public sentiment.

Business community laments lost opportunity

Hamburg's business associations expressed deep disappointment. Norbert Aust, President of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, argued that the Games would have offered major opportunities for international visibility, economic development, and infrastructure.

A positive vote would have been an important signal that we in Hamburg are ambitious and trust ourselves to achieve great things—far beyond sport.

Hjalmar Stemmann, President of the Chamber of Crafts, said the city had squandered a chance to "grow beyond itself."

National bid landscape transformed

Hamburg's exit leaves only three contenders in the national race: Munich, the Rhine-Ruhr region (centered on Cologne), and Berlin. Both Munich and Rhine-Ruhr previously secured roughly 66% support in their own referendums. Berlin, citing constitutional reasons, is not holding a public vote, a decision that now faces heightened scrutiny. The DOSB is set to choose Germany's candidate on September 26, using a matrix that weighs public consultations. DOSB officials expressed frustration, noting the Hamburg result broke a streak of 19 positive local referendums. The outcome is widely seen as a warning signal for Berlin's ambitions and a potential boost for the NOlympia movement, which is already pushing for a popular initiative in the capital.

A stronger rejection than 2015

Compared to the 2015 referendum, where 51.6% voted against a 2024 bid, Sunday's 54.9% 'No' represents a hardening of opposition. NOlympia spokesperson Eckart Maudrich interpreted the result as a vote for "fair play and team spirit in the rules of the Olympic Games," arguing that the Senate's promises and financial concept—which omitted billions in security and stadium costs—lacked credibility.

This result shows: the people of Hamburg love their city and won't be led up the garden path by a million-euro advertising campaign.

Bürgerschaft President Carola Veit, despite her personal support for the bid, called the referendum a democratic gain, noting that without it, the parliament would likely have voted to bid and governed against the majority's will for a decade.

2015 - Against

51.6 %

2015 - For

48.4 %

2026 - Against

54.9 %

2026 - For

45.1 %

1. Nov 29, 2015Hamburg votes against 2024 Olympic bid (51.6% No).
2. May 31, 2026Hamburg votes against 2036-2044 bid (54.9% No), withdraws from national race.
3. Sep 26, 2026DOSB to select German candidate city from Munich, Rhine-Ruhr, and Berlin.