German Olympic choice centres on Munich and Rhein-Ruhr
The DOSB will choose Germany’s candidate today in Baden-Baden for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation will decide on Saturday which region represents Germany in the international race to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Munich has a narrow lead over KölnRheinRuhr, according to the organisation’s own evaluation committee; Berlin is clearly further behind.
The decision will be taken during an extraordinary DOSB general meeting in Baden-Baden. The confederation has assessed three remaining candidates: Munich, KölnRheinRuhr and Berlin+. Hamburg withdrew after residents rejected an earlier Olympic bid in a referendum.
The evaluation committee awarded Munich 87.03 points out of 100. KölnRheinRuhr received 85.02 points and Berlin+ 74.64. The DOSB describes the first two concepts as very good and Berlin’s submission as good. The scores are advisory; voting members are not obliged to follow the ranking.
The voting arrangements were laid down in the selection process. Each of the 42 Olympic sports federations has three votes. Eight individual members and ten members of the DOSB executive committee will also vote. The final choice therefore rests with the sports confederation, not with a nationwide popular vote.
The candidates place different emphases. Munich builds on existing sports venues and its experience of the 1972 Olympic Games, while KölnRheinRuhr highlights the distribution across several cities and existing stadiums. Berlin+ presents a concept linking the capital with surrounding regions. The DOSB assessment considers venues, finances, sustainability and public support, among other factors.
According to the DOSB, residents in Munich and KölnRheinRuhr voted by clear majorities in favour of a bid. In Berlin, parliament backed the plans. The confederation also says that nationwide polls show around 70 per cent support for Games in Germany. Those figures come from the DOSB’s own information and are not the same as a binding national referendum.
The winner will not yet be the Olympic host city. Germany will only gain the right to submit a bid internationally. The International Olympic Committee will decide later on the actual allocation. Today’s choice will determine which German plan is developed and defended further in the coming years.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The DOSB will choose one German candidate on Saturday.
- Munich and KölnRheinRuhr received the highest assessments.
- A national choice leads only to an international bid, not directly to the allocation of the Games.
Left
Arguments Olympic resources would be better directed towards grassroots sport, sports facilities and social services. If Germany takes part nevertheless, costs, human rights and sustainability must be strict conditions.
Values Equal access, public responsibility and sustainability.
Consequences A major event can accelerate public investment, but it can also tie up budgets and cause cost overruns.
Centre
Arguments A bid is defensible if existing venues are used, the budget is transparent and residents can genuinely have their say. The DOSB procedure provides an institutional selection, but not full democratic legitimacy.
Values Feasibility, transparency and public support.
Consequences A carefully considered plan can combine international standing with limited risks, provided oversight remains independent.
Right
Arguments Germany must dare to host major sporting events and show that it can deliver administratively and economically. Too much emphasis on risks could block opportunities for infrastructure, tourism and national pride.
Values Ambition, competitiveness and national cohesion.
Consequences A successful bid can generate investment and jobs, but the government must prevent taxpayers from bearing unlimited responsibility for shortfalls.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The procedure and assessment scores were published by the DOSB and Tagesschau. The text clearly distinguishes between the national selection and a later IOC decision.
- confirmed The DOSB will choose Germany’s candidate in Baden-Baden on 26 September. — The DOSB explicitly names the date, place and procedure. source
- confirmed Munich received 87.03 points, KölnRheinRuhr 85.02 and Berlin+ 74.64. — The scores appear on the DOSB website and are summarised by Tagesschau. source
- confirmed The evaluation is not binding. — Tagesschau reports that the evaluation committee is issuing only an advisory recommendation. source
- confirmed The winner will not automatically become the Olympic host city. — The DOSB describes the vote as the selection of Germany’s candidate for an international selection process. source
Editor's note
The procedure, scores and voting arrangements were taken directly from DOSB and Tagesschau information. The eventual winner was not known at 06.09.Sources
- Olympiabewerbung — Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund
- Rennen um Olympia: DOSB sieht Bewerbungen aus München und NRW vorne — Tagesschau
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „olympia dosb”
- De Telegraaf — „olympia dosb”
- AD — „olympia dosb”