Liverpool City Council has announced its intention to bid for hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The proposal, revealed in a letter from City Mayor Joe Anderson to Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, would see the council explore the financial feasibility of any potential bid in conjunction with central government.
Anderson, who is currently running for re-election in the city’s mayoral race, pointed to the success of Liverpool’s 2008 European Capital of Culture programme and the opportunities for regeneration in the north of the city as important factors underpinning its suitability for the role of host.
Writing to Secretary for Culture, Anderson said: I am writing to inform you that it is my desire to explore a bid by Liverpool to become the host city for the Commonwealth Games in 2026, should I be returned as the next Mayor of Liverpool.
“Given our highly successful year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, the city has an acute sense of how culture and sport can be catalysed for their regenerative potential, as well as a track record in rising to the occasion in delivering a high-profile, large-scale programme of events.
With that in mind, it is my strong conviction that Liverpool… is a fitting host city for the games.”
The letter also notes that “the potential benefits of hosting the Games would disperse widely around the Liverpool city-region as well as the wider northwest of England.”
Anderson added: “I am ambitious for the future of our city and I think we have an enormous amount to offer including a track record of delivering big-ticket events and a brilliant sporting heritage.
“But we’re also a city with a window on the world and I think multi-national, multi-ethnic Liverpool reflects the values of co-operation and solidarity that now lie at the heart of the games.”
“Liverpool could carry out an assessment of the assets we have in place, plus the potential sites, finance and key infrastructure we would need to successfully host the event in order to start conversations with Government. Those conversations would include the cost of the games and how much Government would contribute.
“There are never any guarantees with these bids, but we will be pushing hard to make our case and I am seeking a meeting with the relevant government ministers to begin the process.”