66.4 percent in Munich say they support a bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044 – indicating an overwhelming majority win for the ‘yes’ side.
The strong support for the bid will send a clear message to the German sport authority (DOSB) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Munich is ready to welcome back the Olympics for a second time.
According to local media, over one-third of eligible voters cast ballots by postal mail with more making their way to the polls, together setting a record for the best referendum voter turnout in the city with 42 percent. The vote is deemed legally binding as the numbers surpass the 10 percent turnout required to validate the results. Around 1.1 million voters were eligible to vote including all European Union citizens who have had Munich as their primary residence for at least two months and are at least 18 years old.
On the ballot the voters were asked (translated from Germany): “Are you in favor of the state capital Munich bidding for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, to be held either in 2036, 2040, or 2044?”
Along with Munich, last year Germany narrowed its field of host potential candidates to Berlin, Hamburg and the Rhine-Ruhr region which moving forward could be rebranded as Cologne.
The DOSB hopes to bring the Games to Germany in 2036, 2040, or 2044, and plans to finalize the preferred bid city and year in fall of 2026 at the organization’s General Assembly.
Hamburg has planned a referendum May 31 and Rhine-Ruhr residents could head to the ballot boxes on April 19. No vote is required in Berlin. A recent YouGov survey commissioned by DPA across Germany revealed 21 percent favored Munich as the national candidate, followed by Rhine-Ruhr at 19 percent, Berlin at 13 percent and Hamburg with 12 percent of the support.
Such referendums in the past have prevented Germany from welcoming back the Games since the event was last staged in Munich in 1972. Most recently, Hamburg residents narrowly voted against a 2024 bid and Munich voters scuppered their city’s 2022 Winter Games application before it even left the gate. Previously a successful referendum in Garmisch-Partenkirchen allowed a Munich 2018 Winter Games bid to move forward but was defeated by eventual host PyeongChang.
In September officials launched what they described as a “critical phase” leading up to the late October referendum. By blanketing the region with posters, billboards, newspaper and social media messaging supporters hoped to evoke positive memories of the 1972 Games under the banner “Games with Heart & Soul.”
Many remember those previous Games were marred by the horrific attack by Palestinian militants who murdered several Israeli Olympic team members, so bid supporters hoped voters will focus on the successful European championships held in the city in 2022. Many local pro athletes, including from Munich Bayern football club, have spent time promoting the bid.
Several meetings to bolster public engagement were also held. Ballots were mailed to residents mid-September for postal voting or in person deposits on the referendum date.
Olympics opponents have demonstrated to elevate the ‘no’ side – led by the NOlympia group who helped take down the previous Munich and Hamburg Olympic bids. They believe the Games will cause increased traffic congestion and will incur unpredictable high costs. A city-commissioned survey revealed that the total capital costs would rise to about 21 billion euros (USD $24.5 billion), but those numbers include large transportation projects that would have lasting benefits for the city.
Additionally, they complained the process was “unfair” and that public funds were used to pay for advertising in public spaces to promote the ‘yes’ side.
Internationally Ahmedabad, India and Doha, Qatar have already emerged as top contenders focusing on the 2036 edition while several other regions are looking at 2036 or beyond including Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Santiago in Chile, Egypt and North Jeolla, South Korea. European contenders could include Istanbul, Budapest and Spain.
A bid by future Indonesian capital Nusantara was rejected by the IOC last week after government officials denied visas to Israeli athletes who were planning to compete at the World Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta. The IOC’s Executive Board ruled that the move was politically motivated and contrary to the Olympic Charter, prompting a ban of future events in Indonesia until the government could guarantee universal attendance.
The IOC has not yet set a timetable for a 2036 election, and the process for future bids remains in hiatus until a special review commission reports back to President Kirsty Coventry on recommended reforms.
The next Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in Los Angeles in 2028 followed by Brisbane, Australia in 2032.
