Northern Leaders Launch 'Great North' Campaign for Future UK Olympics
Northern Campaign Demands Future UK Olympics Be in the North

Northern Leaders Launch 'Great North' Campaign for Future UK Olympics

A powerful new campaign has been launched, spearheaded by a coalition of northern mayors and regional leaders, 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 what it describes as a compelling proposition for a Games that could accelerate regeneration, revitalise the economy, and reshape international perceptions of England.

Formal Demands to Government

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 simple pledge, the group is seeking government collaboration on feasibility studies, preparatory work, and the formulation of long-term legacy goals. This would ensure lasting benefits for northern communities, including bolstered job prospects, extensive regeneration projects, and increased tourism.

Infrastructure and Policy Shifts

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
  • Numerous major football tournaments

Voices from Northern Leadership

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham believes staging the Games would be a defining moment for the North. He drew parallels with the 2002 Commonwealth Games, which he said sparked transformative regeneration and economic growth, changing how people felt about the city region and how the world viewed it. 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 the 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.

Cultural and Sporting Heritage

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 his 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. He added: 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.

Regional Support and Vision

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. He asserted 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.

Broad Coalition Backing

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
  • 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.