The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is keen on hosting the Super Bowl in London, aiming to affirm the city’s position as the “sporting capital of the world.” In a conversation with The Athletic, Khan expressed his determination to bring the NFL’s most prestigious event to London, highlighting the opportunity to draw American sports enthusiasts in Europe to the UK, rather than having them travel to the United States.
From @TheAthletic: The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has pledged to bring the Super Bowl and WWE's Wrestlemania to the capital of the United Kingdom if he is re-elected next month. https://t.co/oEre4WiJRH
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 25, 2024
London is no stranger to major sporting events, with the soccer Champions League final scheduled at Wembley Stadium this Saturday. However, Khan has set his sights on a significantly larger event, stating, “The Super Bowl is really important for us. We have a number of American football games and I want it to come here because we want American sports fans in Europe to come to London to watch them, not just go to America.”
The Super Bowl, which has been the culminating game of every NFL season since 1966, typically takes place on the second Sunday in February. The 2025 edition is set to occur at the Caesars Superdome in Louisiana. Despite London hosting regular NFL games since 2007, the Super Bowl has never been held outside the United States. The event’s traditional start time of 6.30 p.m. Eastern Time and its four-hour duration mean that if it were held in London, the local audience would be leaving the stadium at around 3.30 a.m., posing a unique challenge for fans and organizers alike.
London mayor Sadiq Khan wants his city to host the Super Bowl. https://t.co/yyrBMBgtCH
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 30, 2024
In addition to his ambitions for the NFL, Khan is advocating for another major international event to be hosted in London. He has called for WWE’s WrestleMania, which is celebrating its 40th year, to be held in the U.K. for the first time. This move is part of a broader strategy to enhance London’s global profile as a premier host for significant international sports and entertainment events.
Major Points
- Mayor Sadiq Khan of London is aiming to host the Super Bowl in the city to establish it as the “sporting capital of the world.”
- Khan expressed his desire to attract American sports fans to London rather than having them travel to the U.S. for major events.
- The Super Bowl, a fixture in the NFL since 1966, is typically held in February and has never been played outside the U.S.
- London has hosted regular NFL games since 2007, but the challenge of a potential 3:30 a.m. end time poses logistical issues for hosting the Super Bowl.
- Khan is also advocating for the WWE’s WrestleMania, now in its 40th year, to be held in the UK for the first time.
Al Santana – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
