Story perspectives

UK Orders Feasibility Study for North England 2040 Olympics

5/17/2026

Summary

UK Sport Assessing

UK government has tasked UK Sport with an assessment of a north-England Olympic/Paralympic bid for 2040s.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the BBC the Games should move north to demonstrate the region’s appeal.
The assessment will examine cost, socio-economic benefits and bid likelihood, and will decide if a detailed feasibility study proceeds.
Potential venues include Manchester’s City Stadium and Liverpool’s Albert Dock, with the IOC expressing openness to multi-city bids.

Summary

Government Unveils StadiumPlan

The government announced a Stadium Regeneration Accelerator and a Sporting Events Bill to unlock housing, jobs, transport and community-sport facilities while simplifying event bidding and criminalising unauthorised ticket resale.
More than £500 million has been invested in major sporting events, including at least £400 million for community facilities nationwide.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the plan will boost the Northern Growth Corridor and support stadium regeneration schemes such as Elland Road in Leeds.

Summary

Green Admits Error

National Archive documents released in 2019 disclosed the post-mortem of Manchester’s 1993 Olympic bid.
The report quoted former Conservative MP Damian Green, then a policy adviser to Prime Minister John Major, dismissing the bid.
In 2019 Green said he was glad to have been wrong after Manchester’s 2002 Commonwealth Games spurred urban renewal.
Future Olympic bids remain under the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association.

History

Historical Context

In July 2005 the International Olympic Committee awarded London the 2012 Games, leading Tessa Jowell to announce a £5.3 billion venue budget and a £1.7 billion regeneration scheme for the Lower Lea Valley. The publicly funded overhaul created new transport, housing and sports sites that set a legacy benchmark. UK Sport's northern bid now seeks to replicate that model for Manchester and Liverpool.

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UK Sport Assessing

UK government has tasked UK Sport with an assessment of a north-England Olympic/Paralympic bid for 2040s.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the BBC the Games should move north to demonstrate the region’s appeal.
The assessment will examine cost, socio-economic benefits and bid likelihood, and will decide if a detailed feasibility study proceeds.
Potential venues include Manchester’s City Stadium and Liverpool’s Albert Dock, with the IOC expressing openness to multi-city bids.

1 / 4