In 2022, more than 35,000 spectators packed the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool to watch the world's best gymnasts compete, and the city left such an impression that it has now been awarded the honour of hosting the event again—this time in 2030, making it the fourth time the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships will take place on British soil.
The 2030 championships underscore Liverpool's emergence as a world-class host for elite gymnastics. Since 2011, the city has staged every Artistic Gymnastics British Championships, building infrastructure and expertise that caught the attention of British Gymnastics, UK Sport, and the International Gymnastics Federation. The decision to return to Liverpool reflects both the success of the 2022 event and the city's proven capacity to deliver at the highest level. Over 400 gymnasts from 80 countries will compete at the arena in 2030, continuing a tradition of excellence that has already transformed how the city engages with the sport.
The economic case for hosting is compelling. The 2022 championships generated £5.6 million for Liverpool's local economy, a figure that a feasibility study projects could exceed £8 million by 2030 as the sport continues to grow. Beyond the direct financial impact, the event creates lasting change. Jessica Gadirova, the 21-year-old Olympic bronze medallist who won three of Great Britain's six medals at the 2022 championships, speaks to the deeper legacy. "Liverpool feels like home for the GB team," she said, "and the support of that home crowd was the most inspiring and motivational environment I've ever competed in."
For Gadirova and her teammates, the 2022 event was transformative—not just because of the medals, but because of what hosting at that scale does to a sport and a community. Great Britain's best-ever World Championships haul came in Liverpool in 2022, with Gadirova becoming only the second British woman to win the world floor championship. The experience of competing in front of a roaring home crowd, she reflects, shapes athletes in ways that training alone cannot. "The impact a World Championships has on uniting everyone and inspiring the next generation is massive," she said.
That intergenerational inspiration is precisely what the 2030 event is designed to amplify. A joint statement from British Gymnastics, UK Sport, and Liverpool City Council emphasised the ambition: "Hosting the Championships again in 2030 gives us a fantastic opportunity to build on that legacy, inspire the next generation and through gymnastics support happier, healthier, and more connected communities across Liverpool and the wider UK."
The timing adds another layer of significance. The 2030 championships will provide the first qualifying opportunity for gymnasts aiming to compete at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, making Liverpool's event a crucial stepping stone for the next wave of international talent. For young gymnasts across the UK and beyond, the chance to chase Olympic dreams on home soil—or witness those dreams being pursued—will carry special weight.
Liverpool's track record suggests the city is ready. Eight years on from 2022, with lessons learned and infrastructure refined, the return of the world championships promises to deepen gymnastics' roots in the community while showcasing the sport to a global audience once more.