The North of England could play host to the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time in history, as Northern Mayors and Leaders today set out a clear proposition for a future UK bid to be anchored in the North of England.
The Great North - a collaboration of Mayors and Leaders across the North - has written a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy, calling on Government to commit in principle that any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid is based in the North and for a fairer redistribution of major events across the country.
The North already has many of the foundations in place to deliver a world-class Games, including elite sporting venues, major stadia and arenas, established transport hubs, accommodation capacity, and world-class broadcast and creative capability.
The letter comes following a call from the Heseltine Institute for the North of England to host a multi-city games, citing the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s growing support for multi-city, region-wide bids, making a Northern England Games both credible and timely.
The case for the North of England is compelling. The International Olympic Committee’s clear move towards multi-city and region-wide Games creates a moment of opportunity that the UK should not miss. With a proven track record of hosting celebrated global events, from the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the EURO 2028 football championships, the Great North Run, Rugby League World Cups, The Open, Ashes Tests, the Grand National, and major football tournaments. The Tour de France will be hosted in Cumbria, Liverpool City Region and Yorkshire in 2027, while the World Snooker Championships in Sheffield is a regular feature in the North’s sporting calendar.
The North is already a sporting and creative powerhouse has a strong and proven cultural pedigree and a track record of delivering major culture events at scale, being home to the Hull UK City of Culture in 2017 and Bradford in 2025, hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, and major cultural showcases including the MOBO Awards, Turner Prize, MTV European Music Awards and the BRITs.
Northern Mayors and Leaders believe a Games anchored in the North would represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate regeneration, rebalance the economy, and reset international perceptions of England. It could act as a catalyst for long-term investment in transport, skills, housing, grassroots sport and cultural infrastructure, with benefits lasting well beyond the closing ceremony.
In the letter, Mayors and leaders have asked Government to:
- agree in principle that any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid is anchored in the North of England
- support proportionate feasibility and preparatory work in partnership with Northern Mayors and Leaders
- align early on the legacy objectives of any bid, ensuring long-term benefit for Northern communities, including a plan to redistribute more major events to the North as a catalyst for jobs, regeneration and attracting more visitors.
The Mayors and Leaders of The Great North say they stand ready to work with Government to shape a proposal that is credible, deliverable and transformative - not just for the North, but for the country as a whole.
Chair of The Great North and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:
“The North of England has a sporting history and prowess like no other place, and we are united in our belief that our region could host a box office, world-leading Olympic Games.
“Bringing the Olympics to the UK would unite the North and the whole nation, bringing people together and unleashing a groundswell of pride in our places. The Olympics create a legacy like no other, with game-changing investment in jobs, regeneration and transport, creating opportunity for people across the North.
“As Mayors and leaders we are ready to deliver, now we need national Government and sporting bodies to match our ambition: The Olympics would be our moment for the North to stand tall on the international stage.”
Luke Campbell MBE, Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, said:
“Winning gold at London 2012 is one of the proudest moments of my life. The whole country came together as one, and it meant everything to me to represent our nation on the world stage – and show that someone from Hull can go all the way.
“Bringing the Olympics to the North isn’t just about sport. It’s about giving our kids something to aim for, creating real opportunities and showing the world what this part of the country has to offer.
“Here in Hull and East Yorkshire, sport is a big part of who we are. Our communities turn out in their thousands to back their clubs, and I’m confident we’ve got the passion, the grit and the creativity to make this bid a real success.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said:
“A Northern Olympics would help us showcase our sporting prowess and proud record of producing champions.
“It would be a real catalyst for investment, jobs, opportunity, and true national renewal.
“We have the venues, we have the talent, and we have the ambition - let’s bring the Olympics to the North and prove that when we’re backed, we deliver.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:
“Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games would be a defining moment for the North and we are confident our bid would make for a compelling proposition. Much of the infrastructure is already in place, our facilities are second-to-none, and we have a track record of hosting major global events.
“It would also be a powerful opportunity to unlock future growth, building on the North’s existing strengths and accelerating investment. For Greater Manchester, the 2002 Commonwealth Games marked a real turning point. It sparked transformative regeneration and economic growth, changing how people felt about our city region and how the world viewed us.
"An Olympic and Paralympic Games would deliver a similar impact on a much bigger scale, through long-term investment which transforms our region and leaves a legacy far beyond the Games.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:
“Our region is a real hotbed of sporting excellence and would be an outstanding location for the Olympic and Paralympics Games.
"We’ve already shown what we can do on the world stage by successfully hosting major international events like the Tour of Britain and the Rugby League World Cup.
"Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool have delivered world-class events and with our passion, talent and proven track record, we have everything needed to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to the north of England - and to do it properly.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard said:
“South Yorkshire has a long, indelible sporting heritage. We’ve been at the centre of global sport for generations. Sheffield is the home of football, where the original rules were written, and for 50 years we’ve proudly hosted the World Snooker Championships. We don’t just take part in global sport, we help shape it.
“From Seb Coe to Prince Naseem Hamed to Dorothy Hyman to Kevin Keegan to Jess Ennis-Hill, we’ve given the world some of the world’s biggest and best sporting success stories and most exciting moments. With the English Institute of Sport, the Olympic Legacy Park and Ponds Forge right at the heart of our region, we have world‑class facilities that define the success of athletes today and inspire the next generation to dream bigger tomorrow.
“And now we’re ready to welcome the world; and to make sure the benefits of hosting the Olympic Games are felt in every corner of our communities – leaving a lasting legacy of better health, happier, more active children and young people, and a region more confident in our own future. It’s about restoring the pride, purpose and prosperity of South Yorkshire, and showing the world what the North and the UK can achieve.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“From Eurovision to The Open, EURO 2028, The Grand National and the Tour de France, the North has been warming up on the world stage for years. A homegrown Olympics would be our moment to go for gold.
“With the government’s commitment to invest in Northern Powerhouse Rail, strong partnerships across the North, and a region brimming with energy, creativity and ambition, together we have the potential to host a Games that the world would never forget.
“A Games rooted in the North would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to bring the Olympics closer to ordinary communities that have too often felt like they’ve been left out of the national story. Just imagine how it could inspire a whole generation of kids in Bootle, Barnsley and Byker who deserve to feel that buzz on their doorstep.”
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:
"The North is ready to welcome the world and play host to the Olympic Games. We have the sporting heritage, transport hubs and an internationally renowned brand.
“Northern areas like Yorkshire have pulled its weight at every recent Olympics. We always bring home the medals. Now it's time to bring the Olympic flame home too.
“We’ve proven our ability to put on a great show on the global stage. Let’s go a step further and bring the Olympics to the Great North.”
Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority Shadow Board, said:
"Cheshire and Warrington is the gateway to the North for the rest of the UK, Europe and beyond. With exciting future investment in our transport infrastructure, and with rich heritage of grassroots and elite sporting success, not to mention our unrivalled quality of live and natural beauty; we stand ready to play a central role in the North’s and the country’s story. That’s why we’re proud to contribute to any future bid to bring the international spectacle and community benefits of the Olympic Games to the North."
Cllr Stephen Atkinson, chairman of the Lancashire Combined County Authority, said:
“As Mayors and Leaders of The Great North, we are united in our view that the North of England is ready to play a central role in hosting a future Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"A Northern‑based Olympic Games would be a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity bringing great opportunities and benefits to the region.
"Here in Lancashire we have a proud history of sporting excellence, with many Olympians proudly flying the Red Rose flag at previous games. We are also keen to support major sporting events, typified by next year's Tour de France which I am proud to say will be making its way through the county."
Cllr Jonathan Brook, leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, and Cllr Mark Fryer, leader of Cumberland Council, both constituent councils in the soon-to-launched Cumbria Combined Authority, welcomed the ambitious move. They said:
“Already this year we have been able to announce that one world famous sporting event, the Tour de France, is heading to Cumbria and the north of England in 2027, so we should continue to aim high.
“It is unlikely that stood alone any city or county could have realistic hopes of pulling off such a major coup. But the combined ambition and offer of the authorities across the North of England is a far stronger proposition and we stand ready to engage with Government on working up a proposal that could have generational impact and legacy for our entire region and the country as a whole.”
Sir Brendan Foster CBE, Founder of the Great North Run, said:
“I wholeheartedly support the mayor's ambition for the North of England. However, this is about more than an Olympic bid. It's about delivering a fairer distribution of major international sporting events across the country.
“Obviously iconic sporting occasions like Wimbledon, Royal Ascot, Lords Test matches and the London Marathon, are rightly celebrated in the nation's capital, but when the government is financing hosting global sporting events, they should have a balanced national approach as their guiding principle.
“The North of England should play a central role in hosting world and European level football, rugby, cricket and multi sport events, and should clearly have a strong presence at the decision making table.
“That is only fair and represents the significant interest and contribution the North has always and will always make to British sport.”
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