The UK government is in discussions to consider a bid that would bring the Olympics back to the region in the 2040s — and the fourth time since the 2012 London Games.
According to a BBC report on Tuesday, a reach for another Olympics is in line with the government becoming more serious in its approach to bring several high profile events to the UK like golf’s Ryder Cup and track and field’s world championships.
“Initial work examining whether the UK could host the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time since London 2012 will assess key factors such as potential cost, socioeconomic benefit and any bid’s chance of success,” a statement by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport read.
The 2012 Games were seen as a major success for the UK and last year London mayor Sadiq Khan said supported a bid for the city to host the 2040 Games.
The government said in July 2013 that the UK economy saw a $13.5 billion boost in trade and investment following the Olympic and Paralympic Games, with a $3.1 billion of “additional inward investment,” $7.4 billion in sales tied to Olympic-related promotions by the now former UK Trade & Investment plus $1.9 billion in overseas contracts.
Another Olympic campaign would push the UK into a rare space only few nations can claim.
The United States is the only country to host the Summer Games four times (1904, 1932, 1984 and 1996) with the LA28 Olympics just two years away. But as of 2024, the U.S. has hosted a combined eight Olympics — counting the Winter Games — with six from France, while Italy and Japans hosting four each.
Meanwhile, the UK government is continuing to emphasize its intent to be in the conversation among the world’s major cities for large scale events. Last July, Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally revealed that his administration would back a bid to bring the 2029 World Athletics Championships to London, which hosted the 2017 event.
“Hosting these championships would not only unlock opportunities for UK athletes but it would inspire the next generation to get involved and pursue their ambitions,” Starmer said at the time.
The UK government would have to pledge the bulk of a $60 million offer by 2028, and Khan has already committed $13 million to the effort. That declaration came just a month after more than 100 prominent athletes — past and present — posted on open letter to Starmer, chancellor Rachel Reeves and the culture secretary Lisa Nandy to seriously examine the benefits of putting resources toward the championship.
Mo Farah, Keely Hodgkinson, Josh Kerr, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Dina Asher-Smith were among the 108 athletes, representing more than 750 medals won, who endorsed the world championship drive that the government is now absorbing as part of a greater goal of its sporting initiative.
