Birmingham to host 2027 Invictus Games

Article posted by Coliseum, July 30^th, 2024

Image: Alexander Stadium, Arconning, CC BY-SA 4.0

Birmingham has won the bid to host the 2027 Invictus Games at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

Yahoo Sports said the event, staged every two years, sees injured military personnel and veterans from around the world compete in a range of sports.

Competing against bids from six cities around the world, Birmingham won through its strong commitment to the welfare and recovery of serving personnel and veterans.

The Birmingham games will be the first time the event has been held in the UK since the Duke of Sussex staged the inaugural tournament in London in 2014.

The winning bid was announced at an unveiling event with Invictus Games Foundation CEO Dominic Reid OBE, Defence Veterans Minister Al Carns, and the Invictus Games bid 2027 CEO Helen Helliwell at the NEC, Birmingham.

The NEC is an exhibition center located in Marston Green, England, near to Birmingham and Solihull, UK. It is the United Kingdom’s number one venue for exhibitions, meetings and conferences.

The NEC welcomes 2.3 million guests and hosts 500 events every year, ranging from seasonal shows to retail and fashion.

The Board of Trustees had previously shortlisted Birmingham and Washington DC, USA as the two final cities in the running for hosting the eighth Invictus Games, after initial interest from six cities.

Following presentations from both bidding teams earlier this year, the Birmingham bid was awarded the Games.

The Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 will be held in July 2027, two years on from the upcoming Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, taking place next year in February.

Lord Allen, Chair of the Invictus Games Foundation, said, “Congratulations to Birmingham! The Trustees were very taken by the depth of passion in the bidding team, the experience they brought to the planning and preparations and to the concept of the NEC as a one-site Games.

“Our thanks go to the team behind the Washington DC bid who were able to demonstrate the city could be a fantastic location for the future. As the Foundation looks to the next ten years, we’re excited about the Games pipeline we are building, and for the next ten years of Invictus!”

The Duke of Sussex, Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, added, “Congratulations to Birmingham, UK, on winning the bid to host the Invictus Games 2027. Your city’s strong ties to the Armed Forces community made it a formidable contender from the very start. Over the years, we’ve seen each city bring a unique spirit and vision to life for competitors, their families, and spectators.

“We have no doubt the people of Birmingham will join in celebrating the unwavering respect and admiration we have for our veteran and service community, showing the world how their courage ignites hope and unites us all—something your city knows well.”

A flag-raising ceremony with Al Carns was staged at the NEC to mark the announcement.

Yahoo further stated that the £26 million government-backed bid drew on the armed forces’ connections with Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

During the Afghanistan conflict, severely injured military casualties evacuated from Helmand province were treated at the QE Hospital in Selly Oak.

The hospital is also home to the Royal College of Defence Medicine, while the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre is also based in the Midlands, near Loughborough.

Helen Helliwell, chief executive of Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, said the event would be “the most cohesive, sustainable event in Invictus Games history” with legacy programmes benefiting communities nationwide.

The 2025 event in Vancouver and Whistler, is expected to attract 550 competitors from up to 25 nations.

Three new sports, pickleball, laser run, and esports, are expected to feature in 2027.

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