£45m to bring home the World Championships? It needn’t be a marathon effort

Today, the streets of London burst into life as the 2025 TCS London Marathon gets under way – and what a moment it promises to be. With more than 56,000 people lacing up their shoes to take on the 26.2-mile route from Blackheath to The Mall, this year’s marathon is set to become the biggest ever staged in the world.

For many, it will be made even more memorable by the cheers of 750,000 spectators. From elite runners chasing glory to charity heroes running with heart, this 45th edition will showcase the best of sport, spirit and community. Tens of millions of pounds will be raised for good causes, and it’s a powerful reminder of what sport can achieve. Which is why today also marks the perfect launchpad for something just as bold: our bid to bring the World Athletics Championships back to London in 2029 – 12 years on from when the Championships last came here, and 17 years since the 2012 Games.

So, why now?

Because global sporting events generate far more than medals – they ignite economies, inspire communities and shine a light on everything we can offer as a nation. As the UK government places economic growth at the heart of its agenda, our vision for 2029 perfectly fits that mission, shaping a new model for delivering major events in this country.

That model is Athletic Ventures – a pioneering collaboration between UK Athletics, the Great Run Company, and London Marathon Events. Together, we’ve created a bold new approach: commercially backed, community focused and legacy driven.

While a traditional World Championships in London might generate an economic boost of about £150m, Athletic Ventures is aiming to nearly triple that – projecting a combined economic and social impact of more than £400m.

But this isn’t just about London. Our partners have a track record of sparking participation and inspiring children and communities far beyond the host city. Benefits will be national. The impact, generational.

Just look at what’s unfolding today. Following this year’s event, we expect a record number of entries into the 2026 ballot – with the economic impact of this year’s London Marathon alone expected to top £250m. And the “halo effect” is already here: more than 16,000 children signed up for yesterday’s TCS Mini London Marathon in St James’s Park, while thousands more were running in their schools across the UK, discovering the joy of sport.

That’s the future we want to build in 2029. With Athletic Ventures we now have a way to deliver a World Championships that is less reliant on public funding, yet more ambitious in reach and return. In August next year Birmingham will set the stage with the 2006 European Athletics Championships – and we believe London 2029 should be next.

Athletics remains the beating heart of the Olympic Games. Just last summer, Keely Hodgkinson’s spectacular 800m gold was the most-watched Olympic moment on BBC television. I was lucky enough to be in the stadium to witness it. And Super Saturday in 2012 saw Jessica Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford etch themselves into sporting history. These milestones continue to inspire.

London 2012 redefined what a Games could be, while the 2017 World Athletics Championships were the most successful ever held. I was proudly part of the team that won the bid in Monaco – and I know we can do it again.

Now, UK Athletics, UK Sport and the Mayor of London are united in support of this vision. And for me, having won silver at two World Championships before Sydney Olympic gold, I understand the power of competing on the global stage. But to do it in front of a home crowd? That’s a wonderful opportunity for the next generation.

The next step is to submit a formal expression of interest to World Athletics this September. To do that, we’re asking the government to invest £45m to support the bid and delivery of these Championships.

These are challenging times but in moments like these, sport can lift us – economically, socially, emotionally. Today, the TCS London Marathon will show the world the very best of London. With your support, we can create and host a World Athletics Championships in 2029 that inspires the next generation, drives meaningful growth and brings the nation together again.

Photograph: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images