Four regions are vying to become German Olympic candidates. After the referendum, Munich currently has a lead, while other candidates are in danger of stumbling.
Summer Olympic Games in Germany – this vision is the central theme at the general meeting of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) on Saturday in Frankfurt am Main. After several changes of course, the umbrella organization seems to have managed to appease the annoyed leading associations – even if details still harbor potential for conflict.
The leading associations of Olympic sports play a central role at the DOSB general meetings; after all, they represent 52 percent of the votes. When it came to advertising for the Olympics, they had felt badly treated by the DOSB for a long time, but at the moment they don’t seem to be on a confrontation course. According to reports, they will agree to the detailed decision-making process designed by the DOSB.
Dispute about that Voting process
Which doesn’t mean that all the details have been clarified. What is particularly controversial is the question of who ultimately gets to vote on which city or region should go into the international Olympic race for Germany. Paragraph 16 of the DOSB statutes states that in “matters relating to the Olympic Games” only the leading Olympic associations and some individuals have voting rights.
The practice so far has been different, as the general meeting also voted on questions about the Olympic bid as a whole. The handling on Saturday and in autumn 2026, when an extraordinary general meeting is to elect the German candidate, is still being fought out.
Munich with a broad chest
There could be plenty of options to choose from, as all four candidates Munich, Hamburg, Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia are still in the running. Munich made an impressive showing with 66 percent yes votes in its early referendum at the end of October. Since then, those responsible have been bursting with self-confidence and are already fine-tuning the details with an additional 400,000 euros recently approved by the city council.
The strong referendum value not only gives Munich a perceived advantage, but also in the DOSB’s so-called evaluation matrix and raises the question: Do the other three applicants still have a significant chance?
Berlin seems left behind
They are likely to ask themselves this question, especially in Berlin. The capital is the only applicant that, for constitutional reasons, is not planning a referendum, but rather a popular initiative with a subsequent vote in the House of Representatives. In the DOSB matrix, this inevitably results in loss of points.
Possibly even more consequential: The Olympic opponents in the capital, with Olympic discus champion Christoph Harting as a figurehead, are also planning a referendum that should result in a referendum in 2027 – i.e. only after the DOSB candidate has been chosen. With the umbrella organization they will be careful not to run the risk of a subsequent referendum embarrassment in Berlin.
Berlin’s head of government would rather have the Olympics than the Expo
In view of the numerous infrastructure problems with tight city finances, the residents of the capital are considered Olympic skeptics. This is consistent with a recent survey commissioned by Tagesspiegel, in which only 27 percent voted yes or “more likely yes” to the Olympic bid. However, the Civey survey institute is controversial because of its purely web-based surveys. Other polls saw a slim majority in favor of the Olympics.
Perhaps the results can therefore best be compared with another Civey survey from Berlin: 43 percent were in favor of applying for Expo 2035. The black-red Berlin Senate could use this opportunity to elegantly withdraw from the bumpy Olympic bid with reference to another major project.
But instead, Prime Minister Kai Wegner (CDU) would rather forego the world exhibition and continue to invest money in the Olympic dreams. The Senate will provide up to six million euros for the application in the financial years 2025 to 2027.
Complex referendum in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is also pushing ahead with its Olympic aspirations – and will probably have to spend even more money than Berlin. Finally, all 17 municipalities involved in the “Rhine-Ruhr” concept are to hold a referendum on April 19th. Also the ten municipalities that only host one sport.
So all Oberhausen residents should vote on whether a few volleyball games should take place there in eleven or possibly 19 years. And the people of Pulheim whether they want to play for medals far out in the country at the illustrious Gut Lärchenhof.
If the population of one of these municipalities says no, the competitions can possibly take place elsewhere. But what if one of the larger, multi-sport cities loses the referendum? Like Essen, Düsseldorf or Cologne?
Cologne: “Leading City” with Budget freeze
The latter would be a disaster because the organizers only have it on Tuesday Cologne was presented as the “leading city” of the application. The trigger for this was that the name “Rhine-Ruhr Region” tends to raise question marks and misinterpretations internationally. However, the change in course is hesitant, a new name has not yet been announced and the application website continues to speak of the “Olympics on the Rhine and Ruhr”.
Obviously the 16 “Non Leading Cities” shouldn’t be alienated too much because the people there still have to say yes to the Olympic bid. The referendums will not be a sure-fire success; after all, many municipalities complain about precarious budget situations.
The situation is also disastrous, especially in Cologne, where a budget freeze has even been in effect since November 4th. Since then, the “Leading City” has only been allowed to make expenses that are legally obligatory or absolutely necessary.
Hamburg: Bad Referendum experiences
That leaves Hamburg, where citizens are not scheduled to vote until May 31st. In addition to environmental concerns, the biggest challenge is the lack of an athletics stadium.
The survey results are poor and the Hanseatic city already failed in a referendum in 2015: 51.6 percent voted against an application for the 2024 Olympics.
In addition, a referendum in October committed the Hanseatic city to becoming climate neutral by 2040. It is unclear whether and how this is compatible with a bid for the Olympic Games.
DOSB wants to avoid fiasco of 2003
Hamburg also started an attempt in 2003, when it was about the 2012 Summer Games. The parallel to today: At that time, too, the then National Olympic Committee (NOK) evaluated the five German Olympic candidates using a points system. Hamburg came out best, but the NOK assembly still selected Leipzig, the worst-rated application. It then quickly failed the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The DOSB now wants to prevent such a fiasco. He involves the leading Olympic associations when evaluating the concepts in the hope that they will then vote according to their own assessment. In addition, an evaluation commission should make a recommendation if the evaluation matrix shows a clear favorite.
Intermediate steps at the IOC and in Berlin
Overall, Germany is comparatively far on the way to the Olympics. A week ago, the DOSB approved the IOC’s inclusion in the so-called “Continuous Dialogue” is therefore considered an official applicant.
Friedrich Merz at the Olympic meeting on Thursday in Berlin
Another step that was sometimes missing from previous efforts: the federal government is committed to financial support and is contributing six million euros by the end of 2027. Among other things, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) signed a corresponding agreement on Thursday, which includes the application “national task” calls. The timing shortly before the DOSB general meeting was certainly no coincidence.