Steinmeier opens 132nd Kiel Week with a sail on the Malizia Explorer and 500 concerts ahead
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier opened the 132nd Kieler Woche on June 20, 2026, after a sailing trip on the research yacht Malizia Explorer with round-the-world sailor Boris Herrmann. The nine-day festival combines the world's largest sailing regatta with 500 concerts and public Viewings of Germany's World Cup matches.
Sailing with the president
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender began the 132nd Kiel Week with a sailing trip on the Kiel Fjord aboard Boris Herrmann's research ship "Malizia Explorer". The six-time circumnavigator acted as skipper, and the pair were joined by Schleswig-Holstein Minister-President Daniel Günther (CDU) and Kiel's new Lord Mayor Samet Yilmaz (Greens), who took office in April 2026. After the voyage, Steinmeier described the outing as "a wonderful joint voyage" and praised Herrmann for using his sport to promote ocean research and sustainability.
The funniest scene today was: the Federal President and his wife both steering the ship together, each pulling the wheel in a different direction. That led to some laughter, it was just beautiful to see.
A day of tradition and honours
Before the evening opening ceremony, Steinmeier visited the German Life Saving Society (DLRG), which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Kiel. He stressed that Kiel Week would be inconceivable without volunteers. The opening itself continued a tradition in which prominent national figures launch the festival; former Chancellor Angela Merkel did so in 2006 and 2008. This was Steinmeier's second time opening the event, after 2018. Lord Mayor Yilmaz called it "a great honor" to preside over his first Kiel Week alongside the Federal President. Minister-President Günther described the week as combining "great sport, the best sailing sport in the world, but of course also a public festival."
I believe it is just extremely soothing to simply be completely relaxed and cheerful. There are enough things in the world to worry about, so some serenity is important for society.
- Steinmeier, his wife Elke Büdenbender, Minister-President Günther, and Lord Mayor Yilmaz sail the fjord on the 'Malizia Explorer' with Boris Herrmann.
- Steinmeier visits the DLRG on its 100th anniversary, praising volunteers as essential to Kiel Week.
- Official opening ceremony on the Rathausplatz; Steinmeier addresses the crowd and formally launches the 132nd Kieler Woche.
Sport on the water, festival on land
The 132nd edition runs from June 20 to 28 and once again expects huge crowds after drawing 3.3 million visitors in 2025. Alongside the sailing competitions with participants from more than 50 nations, the shore programme offers around 500 concerts. Acts include Kettcar, Mia, Heinz-Rudolf Kunze, Max Giesinger, and Michael Schulte, with a surprise appearance by Alexander Marcus scheduled for Wednesday. New additions this year are a mascot parade on the Kiellinie and the "KiWo goes Blaupark" meeting point on the eastern shore. Two German World Cup group-stage matches will be shown on large screens across up to ten locations: the opening match against Ivory Coast tonight at 22:00, and the match against Ecuador on June 25 at 22:00.
Light wind stalls the regatta start
On the first day of the sailing festival, near-tropical heat left the race areas almost windless. Of six Olympic classes scheduled, only the women's 49erFX fleet managed to complete three races. The rest of the programme was postponed, but organisers expect stronger breezes as the week progresses.
