Sadiq Khan backs London bid for 2040 Olympics as city aims to become global sports hub

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Sadiq Khan has thrown his support behind a bid to bring the Olympic Games back to London in 2040, saying the capital is “ready to host again — and do so sustainably, affordably and with lasting benefits.”

The announcement marks a key step in a broader strategy to cement London’s reputation as a global destination for major sporting events. Khan highlighted the city’s existing Olympic infrastructure — from the Aquatics Centre to the Velodrome and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park — as evidence of its readiness to host without the burden of massive new construction. He also floated the idea of using venues beyond the capital to reduce costs further.

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“London has done this before — and done it brilliantly. We’re ready to do it again, but even better,” Khan said, pointing to the £9.9bn economic boost the 2012 Games delivered in the years that followed, according to a government report.

London Olympic stadium. Photo: Arne Müseler / www.arne-mueseler.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons

The mayor’s ambitions go beyond the Olympics. Khan confirmed London is also bidding to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships and, more audaciously, the Super Bowl — the latter an American export yet to find a European home.

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If successful, the athletics championships could bring an estimated £400m into the local economy — and serve as a powerful springboard for a future Olympic Games.

The UK has already secured the men’s Euro 2028 football tournament and is pursuing the Women’s World Cup in 2035.

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Still, not everyone is convinced. Economists have long debated the actual returns of Olympic hosting, noting the difficulty in tracing new contracts and spending directly back to the Games. Historically, GDP tends to rise ahead of the Olympics, only to drop soon after the closing ceremony.

But Khan remains undeterred. “London is a city that delivers on the global stage. It’s time we reminded the world of that.”

Cover photo: Girish Sangammanavar / Unsplash

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