The city's Mayor Xavier Tiras took the decision following discussions with several key stakeholders, including new International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. 

Madrid's failure to be awarded the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics - the third consecutive unsuccessful campaign from the Spanish capital - appeared to have opened the door to a bid from Barcelona but has instead led to scepticism in the country about whether they should continue bidding for the Games.

"We have to work to widen the consensus as much as we can," said Tiras.

"We also need to work on defining an ambitious sporting plan.

"The conditions to win the 2022 edition are not right and we have to concentrate our efforts and commitment to work and win the Winter Olympics in 2026."

Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 1992 - widely considered one of the best Games ever - and began to work on a bid to become the first city to host both editions with a candidacy that would see events split between the Catalan city and ski resorts in the nearby Pyrenees.

"The possibility that Barcelona and the Pyrenees host the Winter Games is a great opportunity that we won't let slip away," Trias said.

"Nevertheless, after speaking with the heads of the other political parties in the Barcelona town hall, the Spanish Government, the Spanish Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee, they made me see that the conditions for winning didn't exist in 2022."

Barcelona had hosted a widely praised Summer Olympics in 1992