• Loading stock data...
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Fox Analyst and Media Entrepreneur Greg Olsen to Speak at Tuned In Get your ticket now!

London’s Big Sports Play: From NFL Games to Olympic Dreams

London is looking to forge a meaningful part of its future through hosting major international sporting events.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

London, already a major global market, has big sports dreams.

City officials released a report Monday, finding that six major sporting events in 2024, including NFL and MLB games, delivered $310 million in direct economic impact last year. While economic impact reports can often be specious, the new findings further signaled London’s intent to forge a meaningful part of its future through large-scale sports.

That strategy will take another major step with a developing bid to host the 2040 Summer Olympics, an event just 28 years after London hosted the 2012 Games. That bid will seek to leverage much of the infrastructure developed for those prior Olympics. London also hosted in 1908 and 1948, and is seeking to surpass both Los Angeles and Paris as the first four-time host city.

“London is the sporting capital of the world, and I am proud that we have such a strong record of staging the biggest and best international events in our great city,” said London Mayor Sadiq Khan. 

The 2028 Summer Olympics will be in Los Angeles, while the 2032 event is set for Brisbane, Australia. The 2036 Games have not yet been determined, but likely bidders include India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Turkey. 

Formidable Sports Roster

The latest sports findings from London focused on six major events held last year:

  • MLB’s two-game London Series between the Mets and Phillies
  • Two separate NFL games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 
  • The latest iteration of the Jaguars’ part-time residency at Wembley Stadium
  • The UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund 
  • The Formula E London E-Prix at ExCeL London
  • The London Athletics Meet at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Collectively, those competitions drew 480,000 attending fans and a global television audience of 202 million. Both numbers would be easily dwarfed should the 2040 Olympics bid prevail. In the meantime, the NFL, Formula E, and London Athletics events are all coming back for return engagements in 2025. London will also host the UEFA 2028 Euro tournament and has a strong bid in place for the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

The NFL also was found to have generated more than $800 million in total spectator spending in the city since starting its London games in 2007.

“These events shine a global spotlight on the capital and inspire young Londoners to get involved in grassroots sport, and I am focused on bringing even more to our city,” Khan said.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leads the team onto the field for warm ups before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

Slow Burn: The NFL’s Private-Equity Era So Far

Three deals have been struck to date. But the league is bullish.
exclusive

Ryan Clark Could Be On Thin Ice at ESPN After Second Public..

Clark and Peter Schrager had a tense on-air moment Friday.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) and linebacker C.J. Hicks (11) shake hands while leaving the field following the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. Ohio State won 14-7

How Ohio State Rebuilt Its NIL Strategy in the Rev-Share Era

The Buckeyes are staying “aggressive” in the new NIL landscape.

Fox, ESPN Cry Foul Over Big Nielsen Number Expected for YouTube’s NFL..

Fox and ESPN executives criticized Nielsen’s use of custom measurement for YouTube.

Featured Today

Tennis

The US Open Is Groaning Under the Weight of Its Own Success

New York’s tennis major is more popular than ever.
Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gets ready to take the field prior to a game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
September 5, 2025

How Brazil Game Fits Into NFL’s Plans for World Domination

Friday night’s Chiefs-Chargers game in São Paulo is big by design.
Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrate their touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.
September 2, 2025

TV Ratings Just Changed Again. The NFL Will Be the Big Winner

Nielsen’s new viewership system will have a big impact on sports.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
August 30, 2025

The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History

The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole.
Aug 22, 2025; Bridgeview, Illinois, USA; Chicago Stars FC forward Jameese Joseph (8) passes the ball during the first half of a match against the North Carolina Courage at SeatGeek Stadium.

Chicago Stars FC Move to Evanston After 12 Years in Bridgeview

Stadium plans beyond the 2026 season aren’t solidified. 
Dec 10, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; A general view of the Delta Center before the game between the Utah Hockey Club and the Minnesota Wild.
August 19, 2025

Utah’s Sports Boom Expands Into Music, Emulating Atlanta

The Jazz and Mammoth owner strikes a major deal with Live Nation.
August 28, 2025

As CFB Programs Add Corporate Field Logos, Are Jersey Patches Next?

Texas is adding a sponsor’s logo to its football field this season.
Sponsored

Trailblazer Cal Calamia Is Racing for ‘Advocacy, Storytelling, and Performance’

The marathoner wants excellence—not just inclusion—to be the goal for non-binary athletes.
August 18, 2025

Browns $2.4B Stadium Plan Runs Into Airspace Turbulence

The team’s proposed stadium is deemed a threat to nearby airport operations.
Sofi Stadium
August 14, 2025

Los Angeles Olympics Will be First to Sell Venue Naming Rights

The decision breaks with a longstanding Olympic policy.
Nov 30, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; General overall view of the Dallas Cowboys logo at midfield during an NFL football game between the Washington Redskins and the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
August 14, 2025

Arlington Pays Off Its Cowboys Stadium Debt 10 Years Early

Another major NFL venue retires its public debt far ahead of schedule.
Fans watch as players make it into the 18th hole during round three of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC in Scottsdale on Feb. 8, 2025. Arizona Republic
August 13, 2025

Country Club Initiation Fees Soar With Golf’s Popularity

In many areas, would-be members are joining decade-long wait lists.