Germany will bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044 with Munich, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced on Saturday after a vote by the German Olympic Committee (DOSB), BTA reported.
"The Olympics are a huge opportunity for all of Germany. Let's show that we are a country of opportunities," Steinmeier said before announcing the result.
Munich bids after two unsuccessful bids to host the Winter Games in 2018 and 2022 and was thought to have a slight advantage over the competition – the Rhine-Ruhr region's bid, led by Cologne.
"We are happy, the Cologne organizers made it very difficult for us. This is a historic event and we want to do our best so that we can finally present ourselves together as Germany - as a partner for the North, the South, the East and the West," said Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder.
Munich was considered the favorite and had the highest-rated project after representatives of the German Regional Development Agency (DROAD) evaluated the bids before the vote. According to the plan, all competitions should be held in Bavaria, with the exception of football matches in Stuttgart and sailing races in Kiel.
The last Olympic Games in Germany were held in Munich in 1972, and Germany national football team coach Jurgen Klopp supported the country's plans, sharing an emotional personal moment.
"All my memories related to sports actually start with the Olympics. We parked the car in the garage, slept in it and managed to get tickets. I was only five years old at the time. It's time to bring the Games back to Germany," Klopp told the ARD television channel.