Olympics: A bid for the Games in the 2040s is being considered in the North of England.

The government has commissioned an “initial strategic review” of UK sport in the north of England’s bid to host the Olympics and Paralympics in the 2040s.

The funding agency said it would assess whether the UK could host the tournament for the first time since London 2012, considering the potential cost, socio-economic benefits and any chances of bid success.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told BBC Sport: “We’ve been told for a long time that the Olympics are too big and too important to host in the North.

“Not anymore, it’s time for the Olympics to come north and show the world what we have to offer.

“We know that we can generate the Olympics not only through bidding. We will start by doing a level one study of the investment, the resources, the infrastructure, and the transportation sector that we need.”

The findings of the UK Sports Study will determine whether to proceed with a more detailed “technical feasibility study”, the final decision for any bid rests with the British Olympic Association (BOA).