The UK government has commissioned UK Sport to carry out an initial strategic assessment into a possible bid for the north of England to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the 2040s.
The study will examine whether Britain can stage the Games for the first time since the 2012 London Olympics, while also evaluating the potential costs, infrastructure requirements, socio-economic benefits and the overall likelihood of a successful bid.
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the proposal marks a major opportunity to showcase the sporting and economic potential of northern England on the global stage.
“For too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the north. Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came north and we showed what we can offer to the world,” Nandy told BBC Sport.
The findings from UK Sport’s assessment will help determine whether a more detailed technical feasibility study should be launched. Any final decision regarding an official Olympic bid will ultimately rest with the British Olympic Association (BOA).
The move comes months after a coalition of northern political leaders urged the government to support a regional Olympic proposal, arguing that northern England already possesses many of the facilities needed to stage a world-class Games. Their vision includes using existing venues across Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle as part of a multi-city hosting model.
Manchester remains central to the discussions due to its extensive sporting infrastructure. The city previously hosted the 2002 Commonwealth Games and is home to major venues including the Etihad Stadium, the national velodrome and an aquatics centre. Old Trafford also hosted football matches during the London 2012 Olympics.
There are also proposals for Liverpool’s Albert Dock and River Mersey to stage sailing competitions, while the Lake District has been suggested as a venue for open-water swimming events. Manchester United’s planned 100,000-seat stadium and Leeds United’s Elland Road redevelopment could further strengthen the region’s sporting infrastructure ahead of any future bid.
Nandy acknowledged there are still challenges, particularly regarding athletics venues and transport upgrades, but insisted the government intends to maximise existing infrastructure rather than rely heavily on new construction projects.
“The reality of the current financial context is that we want to work with what infrastructure already exists,” she said.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recently shown greater openness towards regional and multi-city Olympic bids as part of efforts to reduce hosting costs and improve sustainability. That shift could significantly improve the chances of a northern England proposal in the coming decades.
London last hosted the Olympics in 2012, an event widely praised for boosting the UK economy and helping regenerate east London despite its final cost reaching £8.77 billion.
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