Liverpool aims to host 2030 World Gymnastics Championships after 2022 M&S Bank Arena success
One of the biggest global sporting events could be returning to Liverpool in 2030.
After a hugely successful staging of the World Gymnastics Championships in 2022, British Gymnastics has announced its ambition to bring a major international event back to the city in five years’ time.
More than 35,000 people descended on the M&S Bank Arena for nine days of competition as Liverpool welcomed elite athletes from 70 countries to compete for 14 world titles. With this year’s competition now underway in Jakarta this week, the national governing body for gymnastics has been working with UK Sport, Liverpool Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to explore and develop a strong and compelling bid.
The bid comes quickly on the heels of the highly successful World Boxing Championships and the Eurovision Song Contest, both staged at the M&S Bank Arena. The event would be broadcast globally across more than 50 countries, and extensively in the UK.
A formal bid submission for the 2030 World Championships will be made by British Gymnastics, Liverpool Council and UK Sport in December, with a decision on the host country being made in May 2026. Before then, the 2026 Artistic British Championships will be staged in the city in March, with tickets for the event having gone on general sale this week.
Sarah Powell, chief executive of British Gymnastics, said: “The opportunity for any gymnast to compete in front of a passionate home crowd is something really special, and we’d love for our British team to be able to experience that in 2030 as part of their build up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympics – there could not be a better host city for it than Liverpool. Gymnastics is a foundation sport that gives hundreds of thousands of children and young people of all backgrounds and abilities that first introduction to being active and learning how their bodies can move.
“It’s potential to shape the future of the nation as an active, happy and healthy one is huge, and that that’s why it’s so important we use Liverpool 2030 to drive that positive impact of our sport even further.”
The Liverpool 2022 World Championships was widely regarded by gymnasts and fans alike as the best championships ever staged while International Gymnastics Federation President, Morinari Watanabe hailed the event saying “The Beatles created a new music scene. Liverpool World Championships turned gymnastics from sports to entertainment this time.
“It is the start of the new gymnastics scene.”
Councillor Harry Doyle, Liverpool Council cabinet member for health, wellbeing and culture, said: “Liverpool has proven time and time again that we are a city which excels in hosting world-class events which leave a lasting legacy. The 2022 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships brought in £5.6 million to our local economy and welcomed over 35,000 spectators – showcasing our unique ability to blend elite sport with culture and community.
“We’re proud to work with British Gymnastics in this bid, and excited by the potential to once again welcome the world to our city in 2030.” Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, added, said: “From the spectacle of Eurovision to preparations for Euro 2028, the Liverpool City Region has shown time and again that when we throw our hat in the ring, we also throw our heart into every event we host.
“We welcome more than 60 million visitors each year, and with a booming visitor economy worth £6.25 billion, we’ve proven that we’re an unbeatable destination for global set piece occasions – with the culture, hospitality, and transport to match. With our track record, bringing the World Championships back to Liverpool in 2030 would be another fitting showcase of a world class event in a world class region.”