Munich Selected as Germany’s Candidate for 2036 Summer Olympics
Following a decisive vote by the German Olympic Sports Confederation in Baden-Baden on September 26, 2026, München has been officially designated as Germany’s candidate city for the 2036 Summer Olympic Games, overcoming domestic competition from Köln-Rhein-Ruhr.
The Domestic Selection Process in Baden-Baden
The decision was finalized shortly before 15:00 on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at an extraordinary DOSB members assembly in Baden-Baden. Voting rights were distributed among 42 Olympic top-tier associations holding three votes each, alongside eight personal members and the DOSB presidium members. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier subsequently announced the winning bid. München successfully advanced past the remaining competitor, Köln-Rhein-Ruhr, after Berlin exited the national selection phase earlier in the cycle.
Global Contenders in the 2036 Olympic Race
München now enters an extensive international selection pool managed by the International Olympic Committee. IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper noted during the ANOC General Assembly in Seoul in October 2022 that the committee was already engaged in dialogues with ten National Olympic Committees across four continents regarding the 2036 Games. Since then, the international candidate field has expanded significantly.
Doha officially submitted an application for the 2036 Games in July 2025, following previous bids for 2016 and 2020 by Qatar. A tournament awarded to Doha would likely necessitate scheduling shifts into the autumn months. Meanwhile, India advanced the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally announcing the national candidacy.
South Korea selected the Jeonbuk-do region after a surprising 49-to-11 domestic vote victory over Seoul in February 2025. African nations have also established formal bids, with South Africa reaffirming its 2036 interest in March 2026 following Cape Town’s prior run for the 2004 Games against Athens. Egypt has positioned its under-construction new capital as a prospective host, which would mark the first Olympic Games held on the African continent.
Additional international interest comes from Istanbul and Santiago de Chile, where Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced an official candidacy in June 2024. Due to the high volume of interested nations, IOC President Kristy Coventry temporarily paused the formal evaluation process on June 26, 2025, to restructure the roadmap before the host city selection is formally scheduled.
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