What does the referendum on the Munich Olympics mean?

Germany's bid for the Olympics faces its first major hurdle. As the first of four German candidates, Munich is calling on its citizens to vote on Sunday (October 26) on whether the city should host the Summer Olympics and then the Paralympics for the second time since 1972. In addition to Munich, Berlin, Hamburg and the Rhine-Ruhr region are also in the running. We answer the most important questions about the Munich Olympics referendum.

Who has the right to vote and what is being voted on?

All EU citizens who have been registered as their main residence in Munich for at least two months and who are at least 18 years old on October 26, 2025, are invited. According to the city administration, this is around 1,1 million people. At least ten percent of them must vote for the referendum to be valid.

Voters should answer "yes" or "no" to the following question:

"Are you in favor of the [Bavarian – ed.] capital Munich applying to host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in 2036, 2040 or 2044?"

What outcome is expected?

The prognosis is grim – although at the moment it seems that the majority supports the Munich Olympics. In a representative survey conducted for the German news agency (dpa) by the public opinion polling agency YouGov, 48 percent of respondents said they were “mostly” (27 percent) or “completely” (21 percent) in favor of Munich’s bid. 32 percent were completely (18 percent) or mostly (14 percent) against it. Around 21 percent have not yet made a final decision.

How do supporters argue?

The initiators of the Munich campaign are calling for "games with heart and soul" and a sustainable Olympics with short distances: 90 percent of the planned sports facilities are located less than 30 kilometers from the planned Olympic village in the northeast of the city. Longer distances would only be for sailing, football, kayaking and mountain biking competitions.

Most of the sports facilities already exist. Some would only need to be modernized or expanded, while only a small number would be built from scratch. Supporters expect the Munich Games to have a positive impact on the economy, housing, infrastructure, the atmosphere in the city and Germany's image in the world.

What do the opponents say?

Opponents say the Munich Olympics would be too expensive. Experts at the Technical University of Munich have estimated the required investment at between 18 and 21 billion euros. Critics warn of unpredictable costs, which could rise further – for example, if the political situation necessitates extensive security measures, as was the case with the 2024 Paris Games.

They also fear that housing prices and the cost of living would rise if the city were awarded the Olympics. There are also environmental concerns, for example about the planned construction of a mountain bike trail in the mountainous area along the Tegernse.

What impact will the referendum have?

"If it doesn't work here, it probably won't work anywhere else," says Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder, referring to other German candidates.

But even if the referendum passes, it is expected to send a strong signal – not only within the country, but also to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which could interpret the result as a clear indicator of the mood in Germany regarding the Olympic Games. "A positive outcome of the Munich referendum would give a boost to our bid campaign," says Thomas Weikert, president of the German Olympic Sports Association (DOSB).

What comes next?

Even if Munich votes against the bid, the DOSB wants to stick to the plan to bring the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Olympic Games to Germany and wants to continue the dialogue with the IOC.

The candidates Hamburg, Rhine-Ruhr, and Kiel as a possible host of the sailing competitions are all planning referendums. In Hamburg, the Senate has scheduled a referendum for May 31, 2026. In Kiel, citizens will decide on the Olympic plans on April 19, 2026. The organizers of the Rhine-Ruhr region's bid also cite April 19 as a likely date.

In Berlin, according to the constitution of that federal state, it is not possible to hold a referendum on the organization of the Olympic Games. There, only signatures will be collected for the candidacy.

The German Olympic Sports Federation wants to decide who will be the host of the Olympic Games by autumn 2026 at the latest. It is still not known when the International Olympic Committee will make a decision on the award of the Games in 2036, 2040 and 2044.