British Olympians back north of England bid for 2040s Games

British Olympians and Paralympians have thrown their weight behind a north of England bid for the 2040s, arguing that the region has “a passion for sport like no other place” and the infrastructure to host a distributed Games. The backing lands as ministers open a formal assessment of whether an Olympic and Paralympic bid in the North can deliver regeneration, economic benefit and international credibility without repeating the financial strain that has dogged past mega-events.

UK Sport was commissioned on 15 May to carry out the initial strategic assessment, and the government announced the process two days later, saying it would examine cost, socioeconomic benefit and the chance of success. Lisa Nandy said it was time the Olympics came North, while Rachel Reeves framed the idea as a way to “bring the Games back home” and support a Northern Growth Corridor. The government has cast major sporting events and facilities as tools of growth, pride in place and global appeal, with investment around stadiums and sports infrastructure, including plans linked to Elland Road in Leeds.

A joint statement from leading athletes gave the proposal its most visible sporting endorsement. Dame Laura Kenny, Sir Jason Kenny, Dame Sarah Storey and Tom Pidcock were among the signatories, alongside Laura Weightman, Marc Scott, Susie Rodgers, Krysten Coombs, Rob Davies and Poppy Maskill. Beth Tweddle, Sir Brendan Foster, Steve Cram and Allison Curbishley also backed the plan. The athletes said the North has “world-class venues” and argued that a “Great North” Games would be a “national Games” that could bring the country together and create “a moment of renewal and confidence for the UK in 2040.”

The political groundwork was laid earlier. In February, The Great North, a collaboration of northern mayors and leaders, wrote to the Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, calling for any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid to be based in the North. The group said the region already has elite sporting venues, major stadia and arenas, transport hubs, accommodation capacity, and broadcast and creative capability. It also pointed to the North’s record of staging major events, from the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and Rugby League World Cups to The Open, Ashes Tests and the Grand National, as well as the Tour de France route through Cumbria, Liverpool City Region and Yorkshire in 2027.

Supporters say the bid is more plausible because the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee have moved toward multi-city, region-wide hosting, a model they say could spread costs and widen benefits. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the athletes’ support was hugely significant and described a Great North Olympics as a global showcase with a lasting legacy. If the bid advances, it would aim to bring the Games back to Britain for the first time since London 2012, but the assessment now under way will decide whether the promise of renewal outweighs the price.