Hamburg on the road to the Olympic and Paralympic Games?
Should Hamburg host the Olympics? And would that be a good idea? That was the topic of discussion last week at Kühne Logistics University (KLU). Together with the City of Hamburg, KLU organized an evening on 22 April 2026 that clearly highlighted the key questions and the potential behind a possible bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044.
Following a concise overview of the current bid concept, the discussion quickly gained momentum: representatives from sports, business, and the public sector shed light on different perspectives on topics such as infrastructure, mobility, and economic stimulus for the city.
The evening was moderated by Prof. Dr. Björn Michaelis, who guided the discussion with insightful impulses and well‑targeted questions.
Beyond the substantive insights, one thing stood out above all: a genuine interest in exchanging ideas on how such a major project could shape Hamburg’s future.
A big thank you to our panelists Simone Blunck (Deputy Director of the Preliminary Project for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Hamburg), Dr. Anne Gnauk (Director of the Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein Olympic Training Center), Dr. Alexandra Schubert (Head of the Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Innovation), as well as to our special guest and rower Tim Ole Naske, and to all participants for the inspiring conversations and open exchange.
KLU is an official “partner university for elite sports” and a partner of the German University Sports Federation (ADH) and the Olympic Training Center Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein. As part of this cooperation, KLU offers a targeted scholarship program for Top athletes. In addition to financial support, there are flexible and individual solutions to help students balance their studies and competitive sports.
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