An aerial picture shows the Olympic stadium and the surroundings which will be used for the FIFA 2006 World Cup in Berlin, Germany. [filephoto]

The capital's Olympic Stadium, which reopened in 2004 after four years of renovation, will host the World Cup final next month. Hundreds of thousands of fans have celebrated on the "fan mile" in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

"Berlin is interested in organizing the Olympic Games," Mayor Klaus Wowereit was quoted as telling the Tagesspiegel daily.

"In the first days of the soccer World Cup, Berlin has simply presented itself wonderfully as a host," he added. "This picture is well suited to an Olympic bid."

Wowereit did not specify when any bid might be made.

Berlin bid unsuccessfully to host the 2000 event, which went to Sydney. It decided against applying for the 2012 Games, arguing that the financial risks involved were too high for the debt-laden city government.

Still, officials have said they see better chances now that the Olympic Stadium, built on Adolf Hitler's orders to host the 1936 Games, has been overhauled.

Germany's bidder for the 2012 Olympics, the eastern city of Leipzig, was rejected as a finalist in the International Olympic Committee's screening process. Leipzig offered compact and less costly games, but failed to make the cut because it was too small and lacked enough hotel rooms.