Munich is bidding to host another Olympic Games, but the iconic Olympiastadion München is getting old. Renovation of the roof has proved necessary, but the costs have risen dramatically since 2022.

The costs prove too high for the city to handle

Not 85 million as the authorities originally estimated, nor 200 as was later claimed. The renovation of the roof of the Olympiastadion München will cost as much as €283M, four times more than expected in 2022.

At the moment of the stadium’s inauguration in 1972, the roof was an architectural gem, but today it causes renovation costs to be extremely high. This is because – as TZ reports – 12,000 elements made especially for this occasion are needed for repairs. The 78,000 m² acrylic glass cladding is asymmetrical and unique in the world, which is also why the stadium is included in the list of the 25 strangest stadiums in the world.

The City Council is seeking funds for the renovation of the roof from the state of Bavaria, the German government, and is even considering requesting funding from the European Union. The project is especially important since Munich wants to host the Summer Olympics for the second time in history, aiming for 2036, 2040, or 2044. The Germans want the Olympiastadion to be the central venue of the Games, but its condition today makes it impossible.

© Sandro Halank | The venue was built specifically for the 1972 Olympic Games.

Money is running short, works face complications, but Munich doesn't give up

Renovation work began in 2023, but as it turned out, the condition of the facility is worse than expected. As a result, the work will take longer - the stadium will be closed in October, and in 2026, if the city gathers the money, repairs to the roof will begin. The reopening is scheduled for 2028, but the work will not be completed until a year later.

And although since the project was announced in 2022, the cost of renovating the roof alone has quadrupled, most politicians are convinced that the renovation must be completed. The renovation is essential for the stadium to function, argues CSU representative Manuel Pretzl, quoted by TZ. The costs are extremely high, but waiting for the roof to collapse is obviously not an option, agrees Anne Hübner, leader of the Munich SPD.