By London Mayor Sadiq Khan has expressed his ambition for London to become the first city to host the Olympic Games four times, with a potential bid for the 2040 Summer Olympics on the horizon.
In an interview with The Times on Monday, the 54-year-old Labour mayor said a successful bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships could lay the groundwork for London’s next Olympic chapter.
London last hosted the Summer Games in 2012, widely hailed as a major success. It previously staged the event in 1908 and 1948. Currently, London, Paris, and Los Angeles have each hosted the Games three times, with Los Angeles preparing to host again in 2028 and Brisbane slated for 2032.
“I would like to see London become the first city to host the Games four times,” Khan stated. “If we have the World Championships in 2029, it will bring energy, enthusiasm, and investment in track and field, producing future Mo Farahs and Paula Radcliffes.”
Khan praised Paris’s 2024 efforts but was confident London could deliver an even better experience, emphasizing that many facilities from the 2012 Games — including the main stadium now used by Premier League club West Ham — remain in excellent condition.
“We could knock it out of the park,” he said. “We already have the aquatics centre, the stadium, the velodrome. London could be a hub for the greenest Games ever, with events held across the UK.”
However, Khan acknowledged that to bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships — a critical stepping stone — he would need a £45 million ($60 million) commitment from Britain’s Labour government by September.
Despite the financial hurdle, Khan remains optimistic, citing positive early discussions with government officials and the proven economic boost of hosting major sporting events.
London last hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2017.
