Why Germany should bid to host the 2040 Olympic Games

France looks back on the Paris Olympic Games with pride, and there’s no reason Germany couldn’t do the same in the future. It’s time for Germany to consider hosting the Games.

The Paris Olympics 2024 have come to an end, leaving behind memories of two and a half weeks of incredible athletic performances and spectacular moments. The French capital was buzzing with excitement, and the country celebrated its athletes’ achievements. France finished fifth in the medal standings, nearly doubling its haul from the Tokyo Games. The event was not only a sporting success but also a societal one. The organization was smooth, security was tight and effective, and the atmosphere in the city was lively. For a while, the people of France could forget their country’s political issues. Paris demonstrated once again that hosting the Olympic Games can offer significant benefits both athletically and socially. Germany should take note and aim to host the 2040 Olympics.

Olympic Games boost national image and unity

Hosting the Olympics offers numerous advantages. One of the most significant is the potential for improving a country’s international image. The Paris Games showcased the city’s beauty, with TV broadcasts highlighting its landmarks, while the Games themselves fostered a peaceful, joyful atmosphere. Despite France’s political challenges, the nation united behind its athletes during the Games. Some locals who initially left Paris to avoid the Games returned because they didn’t want to miss the festivities. Even skeptics were won over.

Moreover, the infrastructure improvements made for the Games will benefit the population for years to come, alongside the substantial boost in tourism revenue. France can regard its hosting of the Olympics as a complete success. In contrast, Germany’s recent hosting of the UEFA European Championship was beneficial, but its impact was limited by the event’s continental reach. The Olympics, however, have global significance.

A chance to improve Germany’s Olympic performance

From a sports perspective, hosting the Olympics could provide a much-needed boost to Germany’s athletes. A glance at the Paris medal standings shows that many of the top nations have hosted the Games in the past 30 years, including the U.S. (Atlanta 1996), China (Beijing 2008), Japan (Tokyo 2021), Australia (Sydney 2000), France (Paris 2024), and the UK (London 2012). Only the Netherlands, which ranked sixth, has achieved top status without hosting.

Germany, on the other hand, finished tenth in Paris, barely meeting the minimal goal set by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). Since the 1992 Olympics, Germany has consistently won fewer medals, with just 33 this year, compared to 33 gold medals alone (82 in total) at the 1992 Barcelona Games, where they ranked third.

The value of the Games extends beyond sports

For years, athletes and experts have criticized the state of sports funding in Germany, warning of even worse performances in the future. Hosting the Olympics could pressure politicians to reinvest in sports, providing a long-term boost. The recent success of previous host nations supports this notion.

Certainly, hosting the Games would be expensive, and convincing the public might be a challenge. However, the investment wouldn’t be wasted. The entertainment value alone is significant, but more importantly, sports bring people together. This is not just a cliché. Events like the Paris Olympics, the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and this year’s European Championship have shown time and again that sports can unite a nation. Even those involved in amateur clubs can see this firsthand. In a society that seems increasingly divided, the shared goal of hosting and successfully organizing an event like the Olympics could bring people closer.

The excitement generated by the Olympics, combined with improved sports programs, could have lasting effects, fostering greater enthusiasm for sports and producing more athletic talent for future success. The prospect of hosting the Olympics could inspire action in a country often characterized by hesitation, injecting new energy into the nation. So, why not go for it?