Yes, the UK is exploring a bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in northern England, and Chancellor John Healey is set to announce a £7m fund for a full feasibility study in his first Budget on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
If a bid goes ahead and succeeds, a “Northern Games” could be held in the North in the 2040s. The idea was put forward by the Northern Mayors and backed by former Olympians including Dame Laura Kenny and Dame Sarah Storey. In May, the government asked UK Sport for an initial assessment of the possible costs and benefits. The new study, run by the government, UK Sport, the Northern Mayors, and the British Olympic and Paralympic associations, will look at venues, transport links, how cities could share events, total cost, and the chances of winning. The UK last hosted the Games at London 2012, which the government estimated cost £8.9bn, while a 2013 UK Trade and Investment report credited it with a £9.9bn economic boost, a figure some economists questioned.
Source: BBC News, Northern Olympics plan to get £7m in John Healey’s first Budget
Image: Olympic Stadium, London 2012, DanielMichaelPerry, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.