The UK government has asked its cities to draw up detailed plans to stage the 2022 Commonwealth Games, as it prepares a bid to take over the event from Durban.
The English cities of Birmingham, London and Manchester have expressed an interest in replacing Durban, which was stripped of the hosting rights after a trail of missed deadlines and financial problems.
Liverpool has set out its interest in staging the Games, as part of a bid to host the 2026 event.
"Hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022 could give us an opportunity to step up and show the very best of Global Britain as an outward-looking nation that is confident on the world stage," Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said in a statement.
The British government would look at all bids before deciding whether to put in a formal bid later this year, the ministry added.
Durban's problems highlighted the daunting burdens facing host cities for major sporting events.
Africa has never hosted the Games, which take place every four years and bring together athletes from the 52 members of the Commonwealth, most of which were at one time colonies of Britain.
