Overview
- Ballots were mailed from April 22, the postal voting cut‑off is Wednesday, 27 May, and in‑person voting will be held on Sunday, 31 May at 178 polling stations.
- The rot‑green Senate has published a €4.8 billion operating budget and a €1.3 billion investment envelope and projects a €100 million surplus from tickets and sponsors.
- About 34.8% of eligible voters had returned postal ballots with roughly a week to go, prompting intensified campaigning by Mayor Peter Tschentscher and pro‑bid groups.
- Opponents and fiscal watchdogs argue the plan omits large costs—notably security, which critics compare to the roughly €1.7 billion security bill in Paris 2024—and warn of rising rents and weak guarantees that benefits will reach ordinary residents.
- If Hamburg votes yes it will enter a DOSB national evaluation competing with Munich, Berlin and Rhein‑Ruhr, with the DOSB set to pick Germany’s candidate concept by 26 September 2026.