Overview
- Berlin officially pulled its application on Thursday, removing the 'Berlin+' plan that would have linked the capital with Brandenburg, Saxony and Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern.
- City leaders cited the Left party’s election victory and public opposition from its lead candidate Elif Eralp as key political factors that undermined local support.
- DOSB reviewers had rated Berlin 74.6 out of 100 versus Munich’s 87 and Köln‑Rhein‑Ruhr’s 85 and flagged the lack of a citizen referendum as an additional risk to the bid.
- The Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund will hold an extraordinary assembly in Baden‑Baden on Saturday to pick Germany’s candidate; 144 votes from national federations will decide and the result will be announced with Federal President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier present.
- Berlin had budgeted several million euros for the application (reported up to €5–6 million), and its exit affects planned venues and economic hopes in partner states while the chosen bidder advances to the IOC process for possible Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044.