Liverpool is set to bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games if the current mayor of the city is re-elected to his post.

In a letter sent to culture secretary John Whittingdale and acting sports minister David Evennett, Joe Anderson said the bid would be the “catalyst” for a city-wide regeneration project, and cement the government’s ‘Northern Powerhouse’ initiative which aims to rebalance the country’s economy with a focus on the major northern cities.

Anderson – who is up for re-election this year – said hosting the Games would capitalise on Liverpool’s “highly successful year” as the European Capital of Culture in 2008.

“It is my strong conviction that Liverpool, as a multi-ethnic city with strong connections to so many Commonwealth nations, is a fitting city to host the Games,” said Anderson in the letter, “Also, as a cornerstone of the Northern Powerhouse initiative, the potential benefits of hosting the Games would disperse widely around the Liverpool City-Region as well as the wider North West of England.”

Anderson added that if he experienced a successful re-election campaign his team would begin an assessment on the city’s current assets, as well as potential sites, finance and infrastructure needed to host the event.

He has requested an “early meeting” with Whittingdale to discuss the bid and to “seek guidance”.

If Liverpool was to be successful in its bid it would be the first English city since to host the Games since neighbour Manchester did in 2002. In 2014 the Games were hosted in Glasgow, Scotland.