Not a starting gun has been fired at the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, and yet already there's talk of London hosting the Games again in 16 years' time.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has told ITV News that he would like London to become the first city to host the Games four times, and that he's asked Keir Starmer for government backing to launch a bid. Khan will also spend his time at the Paris Olympics to lobby the British Olympic Association to join him in a London 2040 bid.
I want London to be the first city to host the Olympics for the fourth time—and 2040 could be the greenest Olympic Games ever. pic.twitter.com/rr5X9QoiCd
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) July 26, 2024
What's striking about Khan's plans is that he would propose to reuse much of the remaining infrastructure from the London 2012 Games, therefore making these "the greenest Games ever".
2040 would be the earliest London might hope to host another Olympics/Paralympics; the 2028 Olympics will be in Los Angeles, and the 2032 Olympics, in Brisbane. Bids for the 2036 Olympics are already in taking place in earnest.
Only two cities have ever hosted the modern day Olympics three times: London and Paris. Who knows, perhaps Khan — who has now been elected Mayor of London three times — will also look to become London's Mayor four times over.
