Overview

• Germany’s four contenders—Hamburg, Berlin, Munich and North Rhine-Westphalia—have formally submitted bids to host the Summer Olympics in 2036, 2040 or 2044.
• Hamburg plans a new 60,000-seat multifunctional arena next to the Volksparkstadion, seeks by May 31, 2026 voters’ approval in a €5–6 million referendum and aims for post-Games conversion in partnership with Hamburger SV.
• Berlin’s concept features beach volleyball at the Brandenburg Gate and the Landessportbund Berlin will launch a Volksinitiative to gather 20,000 signatures within six months for a potential public vote.
• Munich and the Rhein-Ruhr region emphasize sustainability through existing or temporary venues, with Munich scheduling its own referendum on October 26, 2025 and NRW considering citizen participation in spring 2026.
• Germany’s coalition government has backed the bid in its agreement, estimating host costs around €10 billion, and the IOC is expected to award the Games in 2027.