Munich presents its Olympic bid: New Olympic Mountain” causes confusion

Munich presents its Olympic bid: New Olympic Mountain” causes confusion

On June 5, 2025, Munich was the first city to officially present its application plans for the Olympic Games of the future. The presentation took place in the impressive 72 Olympic Stadium, where Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) and Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) were also present. The state capital is thus sending a strong signal towards the Olympic future and wants to inspire with a well-thought-out concept. The Süddeutsche Zeitung reports that Munich has submitted the first documents to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) before the official deadline of May 31st.

However, the presentation also attracted criticism: association heads complained that no questions about the graphics and simulations were allowed during the lecture. A central concept was the “New Olympiaberg”, which is expected to be built near the corner of Dachauer Straße and Landshuter Allee. This is intended to be an exciting addition to the city's existing sports landscape, which already boasts many well-preserved sports facilities from the 1972 Games.

Sustainability in focus

The Bavarian Prime Minister shakes up the sustainability discussion by describing Munich's bid as a "strong offer for a sustainable, good and friendly" Olympic Games. The Bavarian Radio highlights that the concept also includes a “One Village Model” in which 90% of the competition venues are within a 30 kilometer radius of the Olympic Park. This makes it not only environmentally friendly, but also logistically sensible.

Mayor Reiter also emphasizes that there are plans to reuse existing sports facilities from 1972, which would give Munich a good chance of winning the application. The submitted plans should also bring infrastructural advantages, such as new subway lines and S-Bahn connections. In addition, several thousand apartments are planned for athletes and officials, which will remain as living space after the games.

Collaboration instead of going it alone

The idea of ​​implementing the application in conjunction with other cities is also being considered. Reiter sees it as timely to start together with other cities instead of fighting alone. Eurosport quotes Reiter, who emphasizes that the future of the Olympic Games could also lie in such a network. The first discussions with the DOSB are already underway.

In order to guarantee the acceptance of the citizens, the city council should vote on the application in the near future. A corresponding referendum is planned for October. If the result is positive, Munich's application will remain in place, while other cities such as Berlin and Hamburg will also develop their own concepts.

The decision on Germany's candidacy should be made by the end of 2026, and Munich could once again play a key role in international sporting events. But it remains to be seen whether the voices of citizens and associations will also be taken into account.