The Executive Board of Region Köln/Bonn e.V., at its 133rd board meeting on March 4, 2026, expressed its support for hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region in the years 2036, 2040, or 2044. The association explicitly endorses the “KölnRheinRuhr” bid, which is based on sustainable, compact, and forward-looking Games.

The Rhineland and the Ruhr area already possess a modern and high-performance sports infrastructure with numerous established venues. For the competitions, 100 percent of the facilities are to be either existing or temporary venues. This approach follows a clear sustainability strategy and avoids costly new constructions without long-term prospects.

In addition, hosting the Games offers the opportunity to invest in further infrastructure measures in advance, from which the region will benefit in the long term—particularly in the areas of mobility, urban development, and digitalization. The Olympic and Paralympic Games would therefore not only be an international sporting event but also a sustainable boost for the entire region. Of the total of 17 municipalities designated as host locations in the Rhine-Ruhr region, three are located in the Köln/Bonn region. In addition to Cologne as the leading city, the cities of Leverkusen and Pulheim are also planned as host venues. This would give the Köln/Bonn region a central role within the Rhine-Ruhr Games.

Sebastian Schuster, Chairman of the Executive Board of Region Köln/Bonn e.V. and District Administrator of the Rhein-Sieg district, also emphasized the added value of the Games: “The Olympic and Paralympic Games represent a unique opportunity for our region. They strengthen grassroots sport, promote sustainable investment in regional infrastructure, and bring people together who stand for sport, community, and joie de vivre. We want to seize this opportunity—for our cities, our athletes, and the people in our region.”

The people of the Rhine-Ruhr region are passionate about sports, hospitable, and open-minded. The size and quality of the sports venues would make it possible for up to 14 million spectators—more than ever before—to attend Olympic and Paralympic competitions on site, with short travel distances and a compact structure.

The bid process has been developed in close coordination between municipalities, experts, and athletes. In addition, referendums are scheduled for April 19, 2026, in Cologne, Leverkusen, and Pulheim to obtain public approval. The Executive Board of Region Köln/Bonn e.V. sees the bid as a major opportunity and encourages citizens to vote in favor of the Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region.

In addition to KölnRheinRuhr, Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich have also submitted their bids to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) on time.

Region Köln/Bonn e.V.

The Köln/Bonn region faces the challenge of shaping the transformation of space, infrastructure, and the economy in a sustainable way. The energy and resource transition, climate protection and climate adaptation, the mobility transition, digitalization, and more are leading to profound restructuring tasks that must be addressed with forward-looking concepts and projects.

Against this backdrop, Region Köln/Bonn e.V. acts as a developer of concepts and strategies, initiator, moderator, and facilitator of inter-municipal cooperation and projects. It creates the necessary conditions for funding, connects stakeholders, and serves as the voice of the region towards the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the federal government. The association focuses in particular on the fields of spatial development, energy & climate, innovation & economy, and quality of life. Its work across these areas is also supported by COMPASS, the association’s funding management unit.

Region Köln/Bonn e.V. was founded in 1992 and is an association of the independent cities of Cologne, Bonn, and Leverkusen, as well as the districts of Rhein-Sieg, Rhein-Erft, Rhein-Kreis Neuss, Oberbergischer Kreis, and Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis. In addition to these eight local authorities, members include the Cologne Chamber of Crafts, the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Kreissparkasse Köln, Sparkasse KölnBonn, Sparkasse Leverkusen, the Rhineland Regional Council (LVR), and the DGB Region Cologne-Bonn. The Cologne District Government as well as the districts of Ahrweiler, Düren, and Euskirchen participate in the association’s decision-making and working bodies as guests.

More information:
www.region-koeln-bonn.de

Press contact:
Region Köln/Bonn e.V.
Rheingasse 11, Cologne
Simon Wahidi
+49 221 925 477-68
wahidi@region-koeln-bonn.de