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Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced his ambitious plan to bring the Olympics back to London, positioning the city as “the undisputed sporting capital of the world.” As part of his initiative, Khan is seeking to secure the return of major sporting events, including regular NBA games and WWE wrestling shows, while also aiming to rival Saudi Arabia for hosting the biggest boxing matches.
A Push for the Olympics and More
In a recent interview with City A.M., Mayor Khan emphasized his commitment to bringing the Olympics back to London. During his visit to Paris, he aims to promote London as a premier destination for major competitions and one-off events.
“I want to do big events, whether it’s Wrestlemania, speaking to the BOA [British Olympic Association] and the new government about a future Olympics, or regular events like NFL [American football] and MLB [baseball],” Khan stated.
He continued, “Can we have regular basketball games in London as well? Regular big boxing bouts as well – we’ve got a big one in September with [Anthony] Joshua. It’s really important to bring boxing back to London.”
The NBA stopped staging regular games at the O2 Arena in 2019, but the sell-out crowds for the US Olympic team’s two warm-up matches in London this summer have reignited Khan’s efforts to bring the league back. “We are speaking to the NBA,” he revealed. “Some of these things take time, but I think the NBA knows there is huge appetite for basketball in London. We are talking to the NBA to try to get it back to London as soon as we can.”
Competing with Global Powers
Anthony Joshua’s upcoming heavyweight fight with Daniel Dubois in September will mark his return to Wembley Stadium for the first time in nearly four years. During this period, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a significant rival, attracting major sporting events like tennis and golf as part of a broader strategy to invest in sports.
While Khan acknowledges that London might not compete financially with countries like Saudi Arabia, he insists that the capital’s experience and passionate fan base are its greatest assets. “We may not be able to compete with some of the money other countries have – what we have is the experience,” he said.
Khan highlighted Joshua’s experience fighting in front of 90,000 supportive fans in 2017, as well as the enthusiasm of WWE and NFL teams who have enjoyed London’s vibrant atmosphere. “Joshua will tell you that one of the reasons why he thinks he beat [Wladimir] Klitschko in 2017 was having 90,000 fans supporting him. One of the reasons why the WWE are keen to bring WrestleMania to London is because we’ve got the best fans in the world. Every single one of the 32 NFL American football teams have played in London; they’ve all had great experiences.”
Economic Impact
City Hall projects that 6 million people will attend sporting events in London this summer. Events like the NFL, MLB, Formula E, and Ride London alone are expected to generate an economic boost of £160 million for the city.
London last hosted the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012, and Khan remains hopeful about bringing the Games back to the capital. While Los Angeles is set to host the Olympics in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032, countries such as Indonesia, Turkey, India, Chile, and Qatar are already bidding for 2036. London, however, appears to be preparing for future editions beyond 2036.
With Khan’s proactive approach, London is poised to reinforce its status as a global sports hub, attracting diverse events and showcasing the city’s rich sporting culture.
