Berlin Withdraws Olympic Bid: A ‘Missed Opportunity,’ Says Saxony’s Kretschmer
Berlin, September 27, 2026 – The city of Berlin has officially withdrawn its bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044. This decision, announced just two days before the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) was scheduled to make its final selection, has been met with strong reactions, particularly from Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer.
Kretschmer, a CDU politician, expressed his disappointment during a visit to Rome, stating, “This is a bitter, huge missed opportunity for Berlin. And now they have taken it away from Berlin.”
The ‘Berlin+’ Concept and its Demise
Berlin’s bid, known as the ‘Berlin+’ concept, aimed to host the games in collaboration with Brandenburg, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The capital had allocated up to six million euros for the application process until 2027. However, ahead of Saturday’s DOSB decision, Berlin was considered a distinct outsider, trailing behind Munich and the Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr region.
Reasons Behind the Withdrawal
Several factors contributed to Berlin’s withdrawal. The black-red senate, which had been pushing the Olympic plans, was voted out in parliamentary elections last Sunday. Elif Eralp (Left Party), the election winner and a potential new governing mayor, is a staunch opponent of the Olympics and had already criticized the cost-intensive application process. The Green Party, also expected to be part of the new government, likewise rejects the plans.
Furthermore, DOSB evaluators had given Berlin’s Olympic project a less favorable assessment compared to its competitors. Munich’s proposal received 87 out of 100 possible DOSB points, while Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr received 85, both earning an ‘excellent’ rating. Berlin, on the other hand, scored 74.6 points, which was deemed ‘good.’
Saxony’s Enduring Hope
Despite Berlin’s withdrawal, Saxony’s hopes for Olympic involvement are not entirely dashed, as Kretschmer explained. The Markkleeberg canoe park is part of the North Rhine-Westphalia bid, connecting the entire German nation. “If we were now talking about the year 2040, that is, about 50 years of German unity, that would be something,” Kretschmer remarked.
Armin Schuster, Saxony’s Sports Minister, also sees opportunities for Saxony, particularly with the Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr’s all-German offering and Markkleeberg as a co-venue. “We trust that the significance of the East German component in the Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr concept will be appropriately weighted in the decision-making process; that would also be a necessary socio-political signal.”
The withdrawal of Berlin’s bid marks a significant turn in Germany’s Olympic aspirations, leaving the focus on Munich and the Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr region for future games.
Source: Sachsen News
