Olympics 2036 | Olympics and Paralympics: Munich wins the election 91:50

Oops: Even before the Federal President, the DOSB President held the results sheet towards the audience and cameras. Photo: dpa/Marijan Murat Thomas Weikert involuntarily made the big revelation of the afternoon. When the German Olympic candidate for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 games was chosen, the President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) held the paper with the election results towards the audience in such a way that “Munich” could already be read before Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier could announce the winner as planned. Moderator Esther Sedlaczek's smile briefly slipped: So much transparency was not planned for this Saturday in the Kurhaus Baden-Baden. Steinmeier, meanwhile, tried to put a good face on the spoiled game: "To those who haven't seen it now, I say: the winner is ... Munich."

When the DOSB later announced the exact result of the vote at a press conference, the victory of Munich over the competition from Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr became even clearer: the result at the extraordinary DOSB general meeting was 91 to 50. A total of 141 out of 144 possible votes were cast. The 42 leading Olympic associations had 126 of the 141 votes. The state sports associations were not allowed to vote. The German Disabled Sports Association also had no voting rights - even though it was also explicitly about the Paralympic Games.

“Now it’s time to work hard.”

41 votes ahead for Bavaria, but the electronic voting machines didn't show much of the much-hyped "crime thriller." It was a clear favorite win. Munich can now attempt its second Olympic Games. The 1972 Summer Games were also the last Olympic Games to date on German soil. The Paralympics took place in Heidelberg at the time; Hosting it would be a first for Munich. If we return to Munich in 2036, 64 years would have passed since the last German games.

After the announcement, Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) and Munich's Mayor Dominik Krause (Greens) were invited onto the stage. Bavaria's father presented himself as a statesman and sportsman. He praised the competition from North Rhine-Westphalia: “You made us sweat a lot.” And then immediately embodied discipline again: “The moment of joy is very short. Now it's time to work hard." Mayor Krause said the joy was "infinite." The unlikely duo now wants to celebrate their victory with a ride in the “Olympic Loop” at the Oktoberfest. Unlike the 2036 Olympics, it is at least clear in advance how much the fun will cost.

The Bavarians impressed with their display of confidence and a strong Olympic legacy: the existing Olympic Park from 1972 is intended to form the core of possible new Games, plus existing competition venues, a planned central Olympic Village and comparatively short distances. According to the concept, 90 percent of the competition venues should be located less than 30 kilometers from the village. In the DOSB test report, Bavaria received the highest number of points: 87.03 points for Munich, 85.02 for Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr, 74.64 for Berlin, which, however, announced its withdrawal on Thursday. In addition, in the Munich referendum in October 2025, 66.4 percent of those who voted said yes to the Olympics, with a turnout of 42 percent.

Preserving the Olympic legacy has now become a costly undertaking in itself. 298.4 million euros have been approved for the renovation of the iconic tent roof in the Olympic Park alone. Among other things, 11,000 acrylic glass panels are to be replaced there. However, the decision on this dates back to 2025, which is why these costs cannot simply be allocated to new Olympic Games. But they show how much effort existing competition venues can make. The regatta course in Oberschleissheim and the Olympic swimming pool, for example, are considered in need of renovation.

The real benefit of the Games will have to be measured by what remains after a possible hosting: affordable housing in the Olympic Village, permanently usable facilities for schools and clubs, improved transport infrastructure.

Even though Munich 2036 was invoked on Saturday as a pan-German project, in the end it focuses heavily on Bavaria. Apart from sailing competitions in Kiel and football games in Stuttgart, the Munich concept envisages all competitions in the Free State. Unlike Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr, which planned Rostock-Warnemünde as a sailing area and Markkleeberg for the canoe competitions, East Germany is left out of the Munich application.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) now has to make the next election decision. The group of interested parties for the so-called “strategic dialogue” will be named in March 2027. The “targeted dialogue” with one or more applicants is scheduled to begin at the end of 2028 before a decision is made on the host of the 2036 Games in the summer of 2029. Possible competitors include Ahmedabad in India, Doha in Qatar and Istanbul; Budapest also has Olympic plans, as do Madrid, the north of Great Britain and Tuscany. A final field of applicants has not yet been determined. It is also unclear whether the IOC will award the 2036 and 2040 Games together.

Immediately before the election, the DOSB came under criticism again. As the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" reported, the DOSB had to correct one of its test reports shortly before the vote: the accompanying report from the "Costs and Financing" working group initially incorrectly claimed that the Bundestag's Budget Committee had confirmed the results. In fact, the committee had not even dealt with it. After the correction, there was only talk of the approval of CSU MP Stephan Mayer. The DOSB spoke of an editorial error. Concrete figures are still missing from the report.

The »nd.Genossenschaft« belongs to the people who make it possible: our readers and authors. They are the ones who ensure left-wing journalism for everyone with their contribution: without profit maximization, media companies or tech billionaires.

→ report independently and critically → make topics visible that would otherwise go unnoticed → make voices heard that are often ignored → counter disinformation with facts → initiate and deepen left-wing debates

“Pay voluntarily” now and support the financing of our solidarity-based newspaper. So that nd remains.