20 Cities Across 6 Continents Return RFIs to be the Host City for the Games that Change the World.

The Federation of Gay Games has received a record number of expressions of interest from cities around the globe desiring to be the host of the twelfth Gay Games XII to be held in 2026!

And Lisbon is among the 20 cities to show interest in hosting Gay Games XII in 2026!

Portugal entered for the first time in this competition in 2018, with the latest edition of Gay Games X, in Paris, where the Portuguese sportive association “Boys Just Wanna Have Fun” won a total of 11 medals!

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The positive financial impact to the host city of the Gay Games is clear, as evidenced by the official economic impact highlights from the 2018 Gay Games X in Paris.

From the contribution of locals and non-locals to the city’s economy in the areas of lodging, dining and entertainment, travel and other necessities to the booming of tourism during the event.

According to Dave Killian, Officer of Site Selection:

“We are extremely delighted to have received this record amount of interest for the Gay Games! The excitement of 20 cities from 6 continents shows that countries want to not only welcome diverse communities to their cities but also want to be a place of community and connectedness for all people. These are the Games that change the world and the growing interest in participation, hosting and volunteering proves that.”

The RFP will be available March 1 and April 30 will identify the official contenders for host status for Gay Games XII as that is the date that Letters of Intent are due. For more information on the process including timelines, visit the Federation of Gay Games website.

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As of February 29, 2020, the interested cities are:

  • Brisbane, Australia;
  • São Paulo, Brazil;
  • Toronto, Canada;
  • Munich, Germany;
  • Dublin, Ireland;
  • Guadalajara, Mexico;
  • Amsterdam, Netherlands;
  • Auckland, New Zealand;
  • Lisbon, Portugal;
  • Cape Town, South Africa;
  • Durban, South Africa;
  • Valencia, Spain;
  • Taipei, Taiwan;
  • Liverpool, UK;
  • Austin, USA;
  • Fort Lauderdale, USA;
  • Minneapolis, USA;
  • New Orleans, USA;
  • San Diego, USA;
  • Seattle, USA.

About the Federation of Gay Games

The Gay Games was conceived by Dr Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, as a way to empower thousands of LGBTI+ athletes and artists through sport, culture, and fellowship. It was first held in San Francisco in 1982. Subsequent Gay Games were held in San Francisco
(1986), Vancouver (1990), New York (1994), Amsterdam (1998), Sydney (2002), Chicago (2006), Cologne (2010), Cleveland+Akron (2014), and Paris (2018). Gay Games 11 will be held in Hong Kong in 2022.

Visit www.gaygameshk2022.com for more information.

Credits:

Rainbow Flag Photo by Kyle Hinkson on Unsplash