Sport in Munich

Munich is a wonderful city for sports fans! It has a rich history in many types of sports and has hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events. One of the most famous moments was when Munich held the 1972 Summer Olympics. During this time, athletes from all over the world came together to compete in various sports, making it a very exciting period for the city.

Besides the Olympics, Munich is also well-known for its strong football (soccer) teams. Two major teams, FC Bayern Munich and 1. FC Nürnberg, have many fans and have achieved great success over the years. Watching a match in Munich’s big stadiums is a thrilling experience for sports lovers.

The city also loves winter sports, especially ice hockey and skiing. Munich has beautiful places where people can ice skate or enjoy snowy slopes just a short trip away. Whether you like team sports, winter activities, or just watching great athletes, Munich has something special for everyone who enjoys sports.

Sports clubs

Munich is home to several professional sports teams, including Germany's most popular football club, FC Bayern. The city also has a professional basketball team and a professional hockey team, EHC Red Bull München. The Munich area has one team in the Bundesliga system, which includes the top two divisions of German football.

Club	Sport	Founded	League	Venue
FC Bayern Munich	Football	1900	Bundesliga	Allianz Arena
FC Bayern Munich (basketball)	Basketball	1946	Basketball Bundesliga	Audi Dome
EHC Red Bull München	Ice hockey	1998	Deutsche Eishockey Liga	Olympia Eishalle
TSV 1860 Munich	Football	1860/1899	3. Liga	Grünwalder Stadion
SpVgg Unterhaching	Football	1925	3. Liga	Sportpark Unterhaching

Football

Main article: Football in Munich

Munich is the most successful city in Bundesliga history. In the 2000–01 season, three teams from Munich played in the league: SpVgg Unterhaching, FC Bayern Munich, and TSV 1860 Munich. This was the only time one city had three teams in the league. FC Bayern Munich has won many trophies, including 30 national championships and 20 DFB-Pokale. Together with trophies won by TSV 1860 Munich, Munich has won 81 trophies in total.

Main article: 1974 FIFA World Cup

Main article: UEFA Euro 1988

Main article: 2006 FIFA World Cup

Munich was one of the cities chosen for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The Allianz Arena was built to host the matches instead of the Olympic Stadium.

Inside Allianz Arena

The following games were played at the stadium during the tournament:

Main article: UEFA Euro 2020

Munich hosted three group-stage games and a quarterfinal during Euro 2020, including all three of Germany's group games.

Main article: UEFA Euro 2024

Munich hosted the opening game of Euro 2024, with Germany beating Scotland 5-1. It also hosted three more group games, one in the Round of 16, and a semifinal.

Date	Time (CET)	Team #1	Score	Team #2	Round	Spectators
9 June 2006	18:00	Germany	4–2	Costa Rica	Group A (opening match)	66,000
14 June 2006	18:00	Tunisia	2–2	Saudi Arabia	Group H	66,000
18 June 2006	18:00	Brazil	2–0	Australia	Group F	66,000
21 June 2006	21:00	Ivory Coast	3–2	Serbia and Montenegro	Group C	66,000
24 June 2006	17:00	Germany	2–0	Sweden	Round of 16	66,000
5 July 2006	21:00	Portugal	0–1	France	Semi-finals	66,000

Olympics

1972 Summer Olympics

Main article: 1972 Summer Olympics

Munich hosted the 1972 Summer Olympic Games from 26 August to 11 September 1972.

Munich massacre

Main article: Munich massacre

During these Games, a group of eight terrorists entered the Olympic Village and took eleven Israeli athletes, coaches, and officials as hostages. Sadly, two of the hostages were killed right away during the break-in, and a long standoff followed.

Medal count

Olympiasee in Olympiapark, Munich

Main article: 1972 Summer Olympics medal table

These were the top ten nations that won medals at these Games.

The host country is highlighted.

* Host nation (West Germany)

2018 Winter Olympics bid

On 22 June 2010, the International Olympic Committee chose Munich as one of three cities trying to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, along with Annecy (in France) and Pyeongchang (in South Korea). If chosen, Munich would have been the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Pyeongchang was selected as the host after getting 63 votes, with Munich receiving 25 votes.


Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Soviet Union (URS)	50	27	22	99
2	United States (USA)	33	31	30	94
3	East Germany (GDR)	20	23	23	66
4	West Germany (FRG)*	13	11	16	40
5	Japan (JPN)	13	8	8	29
6	Australia (AUS)	8	7	2	17
7	Poland (POL)	7	5	9	21
8	Hungary (HUN)	6	13	16	35
9	Bulgaria (BUL)	6	10	5	21
10	Italy (ITA)	5	3	10	18
Totals (10 entries)		161	138	141	440

Ice hockey

Main article: EHC Red Bull München

Munich has a strong ice hockey tradition, with the EHC Red Bull München being one of the most successful teams in Germany. The team has won multiple national championships and plays in the DEL, Germany's top ice hockey league. Ice hockey is very popular in the city, and fans enjoy exciting games throughout the year.

Basketball

Sporting facilities

Main article: Allianz Arena

Main article: Olympic Stadium (Munich)

Main article: Audi Dome

Main article: Olympia Eishalle

Athletes born in Munich

Many famous athletes were born in Munich, especially in football. Some well-known football players from Munich include Markus Babbel, Franz Beckenbauer, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Philipp Lahm, Christian Lell, Jan Mauersberger, Zvjezdan Misimović, and Andreas Ottl.

Munich has also been the birthplace of athletes in other sports. For example, in hockey, Markus Pöttinger and Christoph Schubert were born there. Another athlete, Craig Lefferts, who played in other sports, was also born in Munich.