Germany selects Munich over Cologne for 2036, 2040, or 2044 Olympic bid

Domestic selection in Baden-Baden

The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) assembled at an extraordinary meeting in Baden-Baden on Saturday, 26 September 2026, to decide the country's official candidate city for a future Summer Olympic Games. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier opened the envelope containing the winner's name alongside former International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach. Munich secured an absolute majority of votes among voting DOSB members, overcoming a rival joint proposal from Cologne and the Rhine-Ruhr region. In a technical evaluation published prior to the vote, the DOSB awarded Munich 87.03 points out of 100, compared to 85.02 points for Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr. The vote concluded an internal German selection process that had narrowed after Hamburg withdrew in the spring of 2026 and Berlin exited the race in September 2026.

Political backing and municipal readiness

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz endorsed the selection immediately following the announcement at Baden-Baden.

Germany has a candidate. Munich will represent us in this race. We step forward with courage: Germany is capable of organizing the Olympic Games.

Munich's proposed plan centers on the Olympic Park in the northern part of the city, inherited from the 1972 Summer Games and currently undergoing renovations. The bid emphasizes a compact concept with short travel times connecting competition venues, the city center, and the broader metropolitan area. The initiative received strong local backing during a public consultation in October 2025, where 66.4% of Munich participants voted in favor with a 42% participation rate, driven in part by the city hosting the 2022 European Championships. In comparison, Cologne and the 16 partner cities in the Rhine-Ruhr bid achieved 66% support with an average turnout of 32%. Ten days before the DOSB vote, Munich also secured hosting rights for the 2028 UEFA Champions League final at the Allianz Arena, following finals in 2012 and 2025, and the 2031 World Athletics Championships at the Olympiastadion.

Olympic history and past attempts

The Baden-Baden decision marks Germany's eighth attempt to bid for an Olympic Games since 1972, following seven consecutive bids that failed due to rejected applications, IOC session ballots, or citizen referendums. Germany previously staged three Olympic Games: the 1936 Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin, and the 1972 Summer Games in Munich. The 1936 Berlin Summer Games were used for state propaganda by Nazi Germany. The 1972 Munich Games were marked by a terror attack at the Olympic Village in which 11 members of the Israeli Olympic delegation were killed. In recent years, voter opposition proved fatal to two German bids, as referendums halted Munich's pursuit of the 2022 Winter Games and Hamburg's bid for the 2024 Summer Games.

Next steps in the international process

Munich and the DOSB will now proceed through the IOC's multi-year selection cycle, starting with an initial continuous dialogue. The DOSB has kept all three target editions open, declining to choose immediately between 2036, 2040, or 2044. Following the Paris 2024 Games, the Summer Olympics move to Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032. The IOC will conduct a preliminary assessment in March 2027 to transition selected candidate cities into a strategic dialogue phase, which involves detailed technical evaluations and on-site visits by an IOC evaluation commission. By late 2028, the IOC will designate one or more preferred hosts, who must provide formal institutional guarantees before the final host election in mid-2029.