New Olympics and Paralympics campaign insists future UK bids must be in the north

A powerful new campaign, spearheaded by a coalition of northern mayors and leaders, is calling for any future Olympic and Paralympic Games bid on British soil to be exclusively based in the north of England.

The initiative, dubbed 'The Great North', aims to fundamentally rebalance the nation's north-south divide, presenting a "compelling proposition" for a Games that could accelerate regeneration, revitalise the economy, and reshape international perceptions of England.

The Great North has formally launched its campaign with a joint letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, urging the government to commit to backing future bids rooted in the North.

They argue this would ensure "a fairer redistribution of major events across the country".

Beyond a pledge, the group is seeking government collaboration on feasibility studies, preparatory work, and the formulation of long-term legacy goals, ensuring lasting benefits for northern communities, including bolstered job prospects, regeneration, and increased tourism.

The campaigners’ ambition is buoyed by recent shifts in International Olympic Committee policy, which now favours multi-city and region-wide Games. They assert that much of the necessary infrastructure is already in place, pointing to a robust track record of hosting global sporting spectacles.

This includes the Manchester Commonwealth Games, the upcoming Euro 2028 football championships, the iconic Great North Run, Rugby League World Cups, The Open golf tournament, Ashes Tests, the Grand National, and numerous major football tournaments.

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Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham believes staging the Games would be "a defining moment for the North and we are confident our bid would make for a compelling proposition".

He drew parallels with the 2002 Commonwealth Games, which he said "sparked transformative regeneration and economic growth, changing how people felt about our city region and how the world viewed us".

Mr Burnham added that 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".

Sir Brendan Foster, founder of the Great North Run, "wholeheartedly" endorsed the vision, stressing it "is about more than an Olympic bid – it’s about delivering a fairer distribution of major international sporting events across the country".

He argued that while London’s iconic events are rightly celebrated, government financing for global events "should have a balanced national approach as their guiding principle".

Beyond sport, the region boasts a strong history of hosting major cultural events, from Hull being UK City of Culture in 2017 and Bradford in 2025, to Liverpool hosting the Eurovision Song Contest.

Other significant events like the Mobo Awards, Turner Prize, MTV European Music Awards, and the Brits have also taken place there. Hull and East Yorkshire mayor Luke Campbell, a London 2012 boxing gold medallist, recalled his Olympic win as "one of the proudest moments of my life".

He expressed confidence that the "sport-loving region was packed with the passion, the grit and the creativity to make this bid a real success", adding: "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."

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Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, framed a northern Olympics as "our moment to go for gold" on the global stage.

He highlighted the "Government’s commitment to invest in Northern Powerhouse Rail, strong partnerships across the North, and a region brimming with energy, creativity and ambition", asserting that "together we have the potential to host a Games that the world would never forget".

Mr Rotheram suggested such an event could inspire "a whole generation of kids in Bootle, Barnsley and Byker who deserve to feel that buzz on their doorstep".

West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin believes a northern Olympics would not only showcase the region’s history of producing champions but also significantly boost investment, jobs, and opportunities.

She declared: "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."

The campaign has garnered wide support from other regional leaders, including South Yorkshire’s mayor Oliver Coppard, Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, York and North Yorkshire mayor David Skaith, Stephen Atkinson, chairman of the Lancashire Combined County Authority, and Louise Gittins, chairwoman of the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority Shadow Board.

Kim McGuinness, North East mayor and chairwoman of The Great North, concluded: "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."