BADEN-BADEN — The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) selected Munich as Germany's candidate to bid for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The vote took place during a DOSB extraordinary assembly in Baden-Baden, where officials confirmed the city would pursue hosting rights for 2036, 2040, or 2046.

Munich received 91 votes in the selection process, defeating the Rhine-Ruhr region bid which secured 50 votes. The Rhine-Ruhr bid was led by Cologne, but DOSB officials evaluated the bids ahead of the vote and rated Munich's project highest. Munich was selected in the first round of voting, ending a competitive internal race that initially included Berlin and Hamburg.

Thomas Weikert is the head of the DOSB and presided over the assembly. During the proceedings, Weikert accidentally showed the card reading Munich to cameras before the official announcement. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced the result on Saturday, confirming the decision to the public.

Steinmeier said Munich was the winner. He emphasized the national significance of the selection, stating that the Olympic Games are a huge opportunity for all of Germany and that the country should show it is a land of opportunity. Steinmeier added that Germany has a historic goal and that all want the Olympic Games for the first time in a reunited country.

Bavarian Premier Markus Söder reacted to the victory by acknowledging the strength of the competition. Söder said the organizers in Cologne made things very hard for them. He framed the bid as a unifying effort for the nation, saying it is something historic and that they want to give everything so that in the end they can present themselves together as Germany, as a partner for North, for South, for East and West, ultimately as one country.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed support for the candidacy through a social media post. Merz wrote that the Olympics belong in Germany, that Munich is the candidate for the bid, and that all of Germany supports it. He added that they want to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to the country for goosebumps, great successes, unforgettable moments, and an entire nation cheering with them.

German Sports Minister Ronald Rauhe also commented on the potential impact of the Games. Rauhe said that perhaps that is precisely what Germany needs right now: a big shared goal, and that when people believe in something together, they can achieve something together.

Hendrik Wüst, the North Rhine-Westphalia state premier, pledged cooperation despite his region's loss. Wüst said they want to work together to bring the Olympic Games to Germany, that it is their shared mission, and that they are now giving it their all.

Former IOC president Thomas Bach attended the ceremony and offered advice on the path forward. Bach said that above all, unity is crucial and must be maintained, that people must stand behind the movement and contribute, and that they must then deliver something that will surprise the international community.

The Munich bid concept outlines a specific geographic scope for the potential Games. Under the Munich bid project, all competitions are to take place in Bavaria except for football matches in Stuttgart and sailing competitions in Kiel. This plan relies on existing infrastructure and regional cooperation, aiming to minimize new construction while maximizing participation across the state.

Public support played a critical role in Munich's selection. Plans for the 2036, 2040, or 2046 bid were approved by the majority of residents in Munich. 66.4 percent of voters in Munich cast their ballot in support of hosting the Games in a late 2025 referendum.

The turnout for the Munich referendum was 44 percent. About two-thirds of voters in Munich supported the Bavarian capital's bid for the Olympics in a citizens' referendum last October.

The DOSB's selection process for the 2036, 2040, or 2046 Summer Olympics involved a three-stage application process, with Munich passing the second stage after a successful referendum in October 2025. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) evaluated Munich's bid at 87 out of 100 points, compared to 85 for the Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr bid, according to the DOSB evaluation commission. This narrow margin reflected the competitiveness of the two final candidates.

Berlin and Hamburg initially participated in the race but withdrew their bids before the final vote. Hamburg's bid was rejected in a referendum in May, removing the northern city from contention. Berlin withdrew its bid two days before the DOSB decision.

Berlin withdrew its bid after the Left party came top in the regional election. Elif Eralp is poised to become Berlin's next mayor. Berlin decided against holding a referendum for the Olympic bid, opting instead to exit the process politically.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) operates on a reformed application process for future hosts. The DOSB will apply to enter into 'continuous dialogue' with the IOC before the end of 2026, as part of the reformed application process for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The DOSB will begin a continuous dialogue process with the IOC leading up to a shortlisting process in March 2027.

The IOC will designate one or more preferred hosts in late 2028. The IOC will select the host for the 2036 Summer Games in mid-2029. The IOC will return to selecting a Summer Olympic host seven years before the Games.

Other nations are also pursuing upcoming Olympic hosting rights. Brisbane, Australia was awarded the 2032 Summer Games. Utah was awarded the 2034 Winter Games.

Qatar announced a bid for Doha for the 2036 Games in July 2025. India sent a letter of intent to the IOC for the 2036 Games in October 2024. These international developments frame the competitive landscape Germany enters with its Munich candidacy.

Why It Matters

The selection of Munich as Germany's candidate ends a long period of unsuccessful bidding attempts for the Summer Olympics. Since 1972, Germany has launched seven bids that failed to secure hosting rights, making this designation a shift in the country's Olympic strategy. The choice of Munich over the Rhine-Ruhr region reflects a preference for a concentrated bid within Bavaria, supported by a recent citizen referendum that demonstrated local approval.

The bid process now moves to the international stage, where Munich will engage in continuous dialogue with the IOC. This reformed procedure requires the DOSB to demonstrate broad national support and financial viability before the IOC designates preferred hosts in late 2028. The outcome will determine whether Germany hosts its first Summer Games since 1972, an event historically marked by both athletic achievement and tragedy.

Timeline

The 1936 Winter Games were held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on February 6, 1936. Germany hosted the 1936 Summer and Winter Olympics on August 1, 1936. The 1936 Olympics in Germany were held under the Nazi regime on August 1, 1936.

The last Olympics held in Germany were in Munich in 1972 on August 26, 1972. The 1972 Munich Olympics were marred by an attack on the Israeli delegation resulting in the deaths of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team on September 5, 1972. Berlin's bid for the 2000 Summer Games finished fourth in voting won by Sydney on September 23, 1993. Munich was runner-up to PyeongChang, South Korea for the 2018 Winter Games on July 6, 2011. A 2013 project to host the 2022 Winter Games in Munich was rejected by citizens in a referendum on November 10, 2013.

What's New

Germany will bid for the Olympics in 2036, 2040, or 2044. Munich previously hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics, which were the second time Germany hosted the Games, following the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

Germany has launched seven unsuccessful bids for the Summer Olympics since the 1972 Games, including bids for 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. The 1972 Munich Olympics were overshadowed by the Munich massacre, in which 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were killed by Palestinian militants.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the specific years Germany will target in its Olympic bid. The German Olympic Sports Confederation announcement states that Germany will bid for the Olympics in 2036, 2040, or 2046.