An assessment of whether the UK could host the Olympics and Paralympics in the north of the England has led to a debate over whether a future bid should exclude London.
The UK government has commissioned an assessment to examine the viability of hosting an Olympic and Paralympic Games in the 2040s entirely in the north of England.
The report will focus on potential socio‑economic benefits, costs, and the likelihood of a northern‑led bid being selected.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, MP for Wigan, has been one of the strongest supporters of the proposal, referring to the positive impact London experienced when it hosted the Games in 2012.
Nandy wants to see similar benefits delivered for the north of England, which she says has been overlooked when it comes to hosting major global events.
“But while the north of England has driven so much sporting excellence, no matter the talent we produce, the sporting moments we create, and the world‑class events we attract – for too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the North,” said Nandy.
“Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came North and we showed what we can offer to the world. I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that we’re starting the firing gun on a long overdue vote of confidence in the North.”
Sadiq Khan questions London’s exclusion
Although plans are still at an early stage, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has raised concerns about leaving the capital out of a future Olympic bid.
“London is the sporting capital of the world and the Mayor has openly expressed his ambition for the capital to be part of a future Olympic and Paralympic Games,” a spokesperson for the Mayor said.
Khan believes a country‑wide bid, using facilities across the UK, would be the strongest approach. He has also mentioned London’s existing infrastructure, which was built or upgraded for the 2012 London Olympics.
The city invested heavily in stadiums and transport links ahead of 2012, with the London Stadium costing £486m to build. Its conversion into West Ham United’s home pushed the total investment to more than £750m.
Despite the high costs, the 2012 Games generated more than £14bn in trade and investment for the UK economy, benefits London may not see if a future Games is hosted exclusively in the North.
Khan has previously backed London hosting the Games again, most recently supporting a potential bid for the 2040s. He also pledged during his re‑election campaign to bring more major sporting events to the capital.
London continues to host an annual NFL game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and will stage matches at UEFA Euro 2028, which the UK and Republic of Ireland will co‑host.
Without referencing the Euros directly, Khan suggested a similar nationwide model could be applied to the Olympics.
“Not including the capital in an Olympics bid would be a missed opportunity, and mean our country fails to unleash the full benefits of a UK‑wide Games,” his spokesperson added.
Could the North host the Olympics?
While the assessment will have the answer to whether an Olympic and Paralympic Games can be staged in the North, the region is in a promising position.
In recent years, major investment has gone into football stadiums and wider sporting infrastructure. One of the most recent examples is Everton FC’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium, which will host matches during Euro 2028.
A successful Olympic bid could also accelerate further development, with Manchester United currently exploring the possibility of building a new stadium. Although the UK government has declined to use public money for the project, an Olympic Games could lead to a rethink.
In a statement about the bid, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters noted that private investment in stadiums and infrastructure encouraged by the event can deliver substantial public benefits and help boost economic growth.
“Developing partnerships to create transport and community infrastructure is often vital to unlocking redevelopment. That will help to strengthen the pipeline of viable projects and enable faster delivery, benefiting football fans as well as local residents and businesses,” said Masters.
