Munich selected as Germany’s Olympic bid city

The German Olympic Sports Confederation has selected Munich as Germany’s bid city for at least one of the next three Summer Olympic Games, choosing it over a rival proposal led by the Rhine-Ruhr region. The decision was announced on Saturday after Munich and the Cologne-led Rhine-Ruhr bid emerged as the final two contenders. Berlin had withdrawn from the process earlier in the week after its mayor announced the city would no longer participate.

Sports Minister Ronald Rauhe said before the vote that Germany needed to enter the international competition with the city or region offering the strongest prospects. He said the decision belonged to the country’s sporting authorities and expressed confidence it would be made responsibly. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier described the bid as an opportunity for Germany to demonstrate that it was a “land of opportunity”.

Rauhe had separately said that he would welcome a bid for the 2040 Games, which would coincide with the 50th anniversary of German reunification. Under the Munich proposal, competitions would be held in Bavaria, apart from football matches in Stuttgart and sailing events in Kiel. Munich has previously hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics and had also campaigned unsuccessfully for the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games.

The Rhine-Ruhr proposal had highlighted the possibility of selling up to 17.6 million tickets, described by the region’s premier as more than at any previous Games. That bid was the final alternative to Munich in the selection process. Germany’s selection of Munich does not itself award the city the Olympics.

It establishes the country’s entry for the subsequent international bidding process for the next three Summer Games, according to the material provided.