Germany’s bid to host the 2029 Women’s European Championship soccer tournament has selected its eight host cities to stage matches, with the iconic Olympic Stadium in Berlin left off the final list.
The DFB national governing body has selected Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hanover, Leipzig, Munich, and Wolfsburg to stage matches if the country is chosen to host.
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Along with Berlin, Rostock and Gelsenkirchen have also been left off the list.
DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said: “We are convinced to have made the right decision, and that the venues with which Germany enters the race for the 2029 hosting rights stand a very good chance of success.
“It was impressive to witness the great commitment on the part of all contenders, and we were privileged to be able to choose from eleven proposals, of which eight proved to be just a cut above the others.
“All this gives us some welcome tailwind and optimism for the international bidding process, and in terms of the prospective venues, I think we’re perfectly equipped to host another festival of football in Germany in four years’ time.”
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By GlobalDataThe final host city list was signed off by the DFB presidential board following an evaluation of 11 shortlisted bids.
The venues were chosen based on economic viability, geographic distribution, and compliance with UEFA requirements.
Addressing Berlin’s omission, Sabine Beikler, spokesperson for the Senate Department for the Interior, Digitalization and Sport, said: “Berlin is not prepared to take financial and contractual risks as part of the bid.”
The country has staged the Women’s Euro twice before in 1989 and 2001, and also hosted the final of the 1995 edition, when it was not an official host because games were split among participating countries.
Berlin did not host games during the 1989 and 2001 editions but has been a host city for the men’s FIFA 2006 World Cup and Euro 2024 events, with both finals played in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
The country also hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2011.
The announcement comes after Germany, the eight-time winners of the competition, officially launched its bid for the 2029 edition in March.
Competition to stage the event in four years will come from Poland, Portugal, and Italy, as well as a joint bid by Denmark and Sweden, with a decision made by the executive committee of continental governing body UEFA in December.
The 2025 Women’s Euro, meanwhile, will take place in Switzerland between July 2 and 27.
