The dream of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the North of England has now been fuelled. Regional leaders and sporting legends are backing plans for a bid and suggesting that a potential successor as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, could help make it a reality.
Mayors from across the North gathered in Sheffield this week to discuss plans for a potential multi-city Olympic Games in the 2040s. The proposal, which is currently being assessed by the Government, would see events hosted across several northern towns and cities rather than being centred in one location.
Supporters believe the project could bring major investment, regeneration and sporting opportunities to communities across the region.
Speaking at Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy Park, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the North deserved an event on the scale of the Olympics and suggested Andy Burnham’s growing influence on the national stage could strengthen the bid.
McGuinness said Burnham had consistently supported greater investment and powers for the North and expected him to continue backing the Olympic vision if he reached Downing Street.
The plans remain at an early stage, with no decisions yet made on where individual sports would be held or where a main Olympic stadium could be built. However, leaders insist the Games would be spread across the North rather than concentrated in one city.
“We are completely open minded,” McGuinness said, adding that the bid presents an opportunity to invest in new sporting venues, transport infrastructure and regeneration projects.
More than 40 Olympians, Paralympians and elite athletes have already backed the proposal, including sporting icons such as Sarah Storey, Jason Kenny and Beth Tweddle.
Former Olympian and athletics commentator Steve Cram described the prospect of bringing the Games to cities including Newcastle, Sunderland, Leeds and Manchester as “phenomenal”. He argued that political backing from the highest level would be crucial to any successful bid.
Fellow Olympic medallist Brendan Foster also backed Burnham’s commitment to regional development, saying the North should no longer feel like a “second class citizen” compared with other parts of the country.
The proposal has already sparked debate. London Mayor Sadiq Khan previously suggested it would be a missed opportunity if the capital was excluded from any future Olympic Games.
While any bid remains years away, supporters believe the campaign marks the beginning of a major opportunity to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting events to the region for the first time.
Article updated by Yashvi Jain
