Mayor Sadiq Khan Hopes to Make London a Global Esports Hub

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has spelt out his ambition to make London one of the best global locations for esports events.

The English capital is currently hosting a major esports tournament in Valorant Masters London at the Copper Box Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Khan visited the Red Bull Gaming Sphere Tokyo along with London-based esports organisation Fnatic and their commercial partners Sony.

This follows the release of a new report commissioned by City Hall detailing the future of esports in London and how the capital can become a hotspot for the industry.

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London Esports Opportunity Report

The report released on the London.gov website reflects on past London-based esports events and hopes for the future following further investment.

The report quotes various statistics, including that esports has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry over the last decade and is predicted to grow from $2bn to just under $10bn by 2033.

It also states that the League of Legends World Championship Final at the O2 Arena in 2024 contributed £12m to London’s economy.

While the three-day BLAST Premier London Open at OVO Arena Wembley in 2025 generated an economic impact estimated around £30m for the city.

Additionally, the planned 25k-seater London Colosseum NBA arena is being built with esports events in mind.

Looking forward, the report lists London’s strengths for the esports industry as:

• Excellent infrastructure and connectivity for hosting major events, with five international airports and a global hub for commerce
• A rich ecosystem of teams, talent, game developers and educational institutions
• Global appeal to investors, brands, and fans
• A thriving youth culture that connects across sport, tech, and community

Related: Influencer Big John guests at esports-themed pub for Valorant Masters London Fan Fest

And the report mentions hopes of not only attracting major events but growing the industry’s footprint in the city too.

There are hopes of developing talent pathways, creating esports community hubs in the city, and forming an Esports Association for London, similar to the non-profit esports body USA Esports.

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And in other news, Fnatic’s CEO claims the organisation “isn’t going anywhere” despite takeover bids.