Summer games in Germany? - Federal government supports German Olympic bid
The German government intends to bring the Olympics back to Germany. The Federal Cabinet has decided to sign the joint declaration with the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) and interested federal states and cities, as confirmed by government sources. This supports the coalition government's new German Olympic bid, with the German government favoring a bid for the Summer Games in 2040.
The DOSB had been working on government backing for some time. DOSB President Thomas Weikert had previously stated that this was an "important step and a strong signal that Germany really wants this bid". However, the 62-year-old also warned against committing to a specific year for a bid.
The DOSB plans to hold an extraordinary members' meeting in 2025.
There had been controversial discussions about a German bid for 2036, exactly 100 years after the Nazi Games in Berlin. Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, and the Rhine-Ruhr region have all declared their intent to bid with formal statements. However, previous Olympic campaigns in Germany in Munich and Hamburg failed due to public opposition.
On December 7, the DOSB will make further decisions at its members' meeting in Saarbrucken. Weikert has announced the possibility of an extraordinary members' meeting in the first half of 2025, which could then officially launch a German Olympic bid.
After the Paris Games, which open on a Friday, Los Angeles is the next Summer host in 2028. Brisbane, Australia, has been awarded the Games for 2032. According to the International Olympic Committee, there is already a larger number of applicants for 2036 and 2040.
The proposed location for the Summer Games in 2040, as favored by the German government, could potentially be one of Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, or the Rhine-Ruhr region. The Federal Cabinet's decision to sign the joint declaration with DOSB and other parties is in support of this bid. The German Olympic Sports Association (DOSB) intends to officially launch this bid following an extraordinary members' meeting in the first half of 2025, as announced by DOSB President Thomas Weikert. Although there were previous failures in Olympic campaigns in Munich and Hamburg due to public opposition, there are multiple interested cities looking forward to hosting the games. The DOSB president also emphasized that committing to a specific year for a bid should be approached with caution. The International Olympic Committee has already received a larger number of applications for the Summer Games in 2036 and 2040.
