Majority of Britons would support a London bid to host Olympic and Paralympic games in 2040

After Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, recently said that he would support London bidding for 2040 Olympic and Paralympic games, a new study by Ipsos in the UK, in partnership with City AM, reveals strong public backing (though current awareness of a potential bid is low).

Potential London Olympic bid in 2040

• Awareness of potential bid low: Despite Sadiq Khan recently announcing that he would support a potential bid, three in four (74%) Britons say they are unaware that London is considering a bid to host the 2040 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 23% say they are aware, rising to one in three (33%) of those who identify as sports fans. Awareness is also higher among those aged 16-34 and those living in London (both 34% aware).
• Any potential bid is well supported: However, once informed, more than half (55%) of Britons would support London bidding for the 2040 Olympic and Paralympic Games, rising to two in three (66%) among those living in London. Support is also strong among sports fans (68%) and those aged 16-34 (62%).

• Perceived benefits of hosting: A clear majority of Britons agree with positive statements regarding London hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2040. 69% believe it "would be good for London," 68% think it "would give people in the UK something to celebrate," and 67% feel it "would bring people together." Only a quarter (26%) believe that it "would be a waste of money”.
• World Cup most desired event: When asked which sporting event Britons would most like to see hosted in the UK, the Men's FIFA World Cup topped the list, with a third (33%) saying it would be the event they would be most excited about. The Olympic and Paralympic Games came in second, chosen by 22%. Other events of interest included the UEFA Men's Champions League Final (20%) and the Men's UEFA European Football Championship (19%).

Athletes pay

The research also explored public perceptions of athlete compensation.

• Almost half think athletes receive too little compensation: After learning that the average full-time British athlete is thought to receive less than £22,500 (according to the British Elite Athletics Association), almost half (48%) of Britons believe British athletes are paid too little – rising to 53% among sports fans.
• But taxpayer funding for athletes divides opinion: However, the public is slightly more inclined to oppose (36%) than support (28%) the use of additional UK taxpayers' money to ensure the average British athlete is paid more.

Commenting on the findings, Keiran Pedley at Ipsos said:

Although public awareness of a potential London 2040 Olympic bid is low, our research clearly demonstrates that the public is receptive to the idea. There is strong support, particularly among Londoners, younger demographics, and sports enthusiasts. However, Great Britain is still first and foremost a country of football fans – showcased by the fact that as exciting as many find the prospect of another Olympics coming to London, the World Cup would be the preferred sporting event to bring home.

Technical note: 

• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,095 adults aged 16-75 across Great Britain. Polling was conducted online between the 2nd and 5th of May 2025.   
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.