- New data reveals a direct economic impact of £230 million from six major sporting events in London last year
- Almost 500,000 fans attended key sports events in the capital, with over 200 million global viewers tuning in to watch
- Capital successfully staged world’s biggest sporting events in 2024 including UEFA Champions League Final, the London E-Prix, London Athletics Meet, MLB and NFL regular season games.
- London will consolidate its position as sporting capital of the world this year by hosting even more major events, including 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has revealed that major sporting events hosted in the capital last year generated a £230million boost for London’s economy.
London staged some of the world’s biggest sports events in 2024 and a report published today by City Hall profiles six of the best-in-class, providing a clear insight into the significant economic value sport generates in the capital.
The events featured in the report were:
- the UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund
- the Major League Baseball (MLB) London Series at the London Stadium featuring the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies
- the Formula E London E-Prix at ExCeL London
- the London Athletics Meet on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
- two regular season NFL games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- the Jacksonville Jaguars regular season NFL game at Wembley Stadium
The 2024 Major Sports Events Impact Report for London, reveals that 480,000 fans attended these events in the capital last year, while 202 million global viewers tuned in to watch.
The direct economic impact has been calculated through organiser, spectator and attendee spend during the event.
NFL has been hugely popular in London for decades and the report reveals it has generated an estimated spectator spend of over £600 million since the first NFL London Games in 2007. There was also a cumulative USA viewership of over 20 million for the NFL London Games and MLB London Series in 2024. It came as the 2024 Season saw the NFL welcome their 3 millionth fan to their London Games since 2007.
The report, created by Think Beyond, also highlights the wider positive impact major sporting events are having in London. More than 6,000 young Londoners have now been supported by the NFL Foundation UK with bespoke programmes that help them to develop skills and confidence and reach their potential. In addition, almost 4,500 young Londoners have been introduced to baseball and softball as part of MLB’s First Pitch programme, designed to get more young people playing sport.
Athletics, Formula E and NFL are all returning to the capital in the coming months, and the Mayor has declared London as the undisputed global capital for women’s sport in 2025 - with women’s rugby league, tennis, cricket, football, netball, hockey, basketball, athletics and rugby union all taking place in the city.
Headlining women’s sport in London this year is the Women's Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham Stadium, which will have a world-record attendance for a single full sided women’s rugby event. In addition, women’s tennis is returning to Queen’s Club for first time in over 50 years.
London will continue to host the biggest sporting events in the years ahead, including the UEFA EURO 2028, and will be hoping to play a part in the UK’s bid for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2035, with the UK having been confirmed as the sole valid bidder for the tournament.
Building on London’s success, the Mayor has talked up his ambition to bring more of the biggest sporting events in the world to London. Sadiq has expressed his support for a bid for the Olympics and Paralympics to return to London in 2040, while he remains committed to making London WrestleMania’s first international destination. The Mayor is also in positive discussions with the NBA to bring games back to the capital, which is supported by the work of his Basketball Taskforce, while the 2029 World Athletics Championships is another target.
Sadiq will also look at making licensing more friendly in stadiums so that fans can watch more of their favourite teams and events. This comes after the Government announced this month that the Mayor would be armed with new powers to review blocked licensing applications to boost the capital’s nighttime economy under new proposals.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “London is the sporting capital of the world and I am proud that we have such a strong track record of staging the biggest and best international events in our great city.
“This report highlights the significant economic and cultural benefits major sporting events provide for our city and the huge pride and excitement they create for Londoners and visitors.
“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 as we work together to build a better, healthier, more prosperous London for all.”
UK Athletics Major Events Director Cherry Alexander said: “We are delighted that the London Athletics Meet is one of the key components in the fine array of events that make London the sporting capital of the World.
“The London Stadium is synonymous with world class athletics and with this year’s event set to sell out in the coming weeks will once again bring tens of thousands of spectators to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
“London Athletics Meet is the biggest one-day athletics event in the world attracting the world’s best athletes and huge spectator and TV audiences. We are proud to play our part in bringing the capital the significant economic and cultural benefits.”
London Stadium CEO Graham Gilmore said: “We’re immensely proud that our world-class events delivered meaningful economic impact for London in 2024.
“Major League Baseball and the London Athletics Meet continue to showcase the Stadium’s ability to attract global audiences and the very best talent. The continued growth of MLB in the UK and Europe, along with the record-breaking attendance at our athletics events - still the most attended athletics meeting in the world - highlight the lasting power of the Olympic Legacy.
“Beyond economic benefits, these events enhance London’s cultural landscape and reinforce its status as one of the premier destinations for live sport.”
London Legacy Development Corporation CEO Shazia Hussain said: “We’re delighted to see that two of the major events featured in the report were hosted in venues at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. These landmark events not only showcase London’s world-class venues but underline the huge economic and social value sporting events bring to our city.
“From the buzz they create across the Park to the global spotlight they shine on London, they play a vital role in driving tourism, supporting local jobs, and inspiring young Londoners to get involved in sport. It’s fantastic to see their impact captured so clearly, as we continue building London’s reputation as the world’s leading sporting city.”
In 2024, London hosted over 50 major sports events. The Major Sports Events Impact for London 2024 features a snapshot of the six best-in-class major sports events from last year that have created significant value for the capital. The full report is available to view here http://www.london.gov.uk/Major-Sports-Events-Impact-for-London-2024
London Stadium CEO Graham Gilmore said: “We’re immensely proud that our world-class events delivered meaningful economic impact for London in 2024. “Major League Baseball and the London Athletics Meet continue to showcase the Stadium’s ability to attract global audiences and the very best talent. The continued growth of MLB in the UK and Europe, along with the record-breaking attendance at our athletics events - still the most attended athletics meeting in the world - highlight the lasting power of the Olympic Legacy. “Beyond economic benefits, these events enhance London’s cultural landscape and reinforce its status as one of the premier destinations for live sport.”
