After Munich, Hamburg, second of the four candidates for a German application for Olympic and Paralympic Games, scheduled a referendum.
The Senate determined May 31, 2026 as a date for the vote. Munich as early as October 26th this autumn, North Rhine-Westphalia still wants to decide on the form of citizen participation, and no referendum is planned in Berlin.
The German Olympic Sports Association (DOSB) decides at an extraordinary general meeting in autumn 2026 about the candidate for an application for summer games 2036, 2040 or 2044.
The criteria according to which the city or region is selected has not yet been determined.
The last attempt in Hamburg (for the summer games 2024) failed in 2015 at the vote of the population. Germany was most recently Olympic hosts with Munich in 1972.
“Hamburg relies on dialogue, participation and the approval of the Hamburgers in an application for Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said sports senator Andy Grote (SPD).
The Olympic referendum is so expensive
In the coming weeks, “extensive information and participation formats are to be organized in all seven Hamburg districts”, according to the Communication of the Authority for the Interior and Sport.
Even before the referendum, all Hamburgers will have the opportunity for postal voting for all Hamburgers from April 24th.
The Senate expects costs of six million euros to organize the referendum, overall the first application phase should cost 17 million euros in the DOSB.
“Our claim is a balanced, sustainable concept behind which the city society is standing,” said Grote.