The German Olympic Committee (DOSB) has selected Munich as its bid city to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044. This marks Germany's latest attempt to host the world's largest multi-sport event for the first time since 1972. Munich, which last hosted the Summer Games 54 years ago, was one of three candidate cities, along with Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr and Berlin. However, Berlin withdrew its bid two days before the vote following local elections.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced the winning bid at the DOSB general assembly, saying "The winner is Munich." He expressed optimism about Germany's chances, stating that if the country participates as "Team Germany," it has a good chance of becoming an Olympic host. Munich's bid enjoys strong local support and includes the use of the Olympic park built for the 1972 Games.
Munich's bid will face stiff competition, particularly for the 2036 Games, with over 10 cities or countries having expressed interest. These include Indonesia, India, South Africa, Chile's Santiago, Doha, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has changed its bidding rules in recent years, with several stages of dialogue resulting in a preferred candidate being put to a vote.
The IOC typically awards the Games about seven years in advance, but no date has been set for a decision. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics, and Brisbane, Australia will stage the 2032 edition. Germany last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1972, which were marred by a hostage crisis involving Palestinian militants.
Previous German bids for the Summer or Winter Games have often failed at the first hurdle due to local referendums opposing the plans over their size and cost. This was the case for Hamburg's bid for the 2024 Games. Munich had also unsuccessfully bid for the 2018 Olympics, finishing second behind Pyeongchang in South Korea.
The 1972 Munich Olympics were marked by a tragic event in which Palestinian militants took members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage. The incident resulted in the deaths of 11 Israelis, a German policeman, and five Palestinian gunmen. The German government has acknowledged the need for a successful and peaceful Games.
With Munich as its bid city, Germany aims to capitalize on strong local support and the existing infrastructure of the Olympic park. The country's bid will now move forward to the next stage, where it will compete with other interested cities and countries for the right to host the Summer Olympics.
Key points
- Munich was chosen as Germany's bid city for the 2036, 2040, or 2044 Summer Olympics.
- The bid faces stiff competition from over 10 cities or countries.
- Germany last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1972, which were marred by a hostage crisis.
