Valencia Wins Bid to Host the 2026 Gay Games
Valencia is buzzing with excitement today after receiving some exciting news from the Federation of Gay Games (FGG). The city, located on Spain’s southeastern coast, will be the host city of the Gay Games XII in 2026. Valencia beat out top contenders, Munich (Germany) and Guadalajara (Mexico), to host the world’s largest LGBTQ+ sporting event.
The FGG made the big announcement at their annual General Assembly Meeting in Brighton, England yesterday. FGG judges say that the “open, egalitarian, diverse, and inclusive character” of the city was the reason it beat out Munich and Guadalajara to how the queer sporting event.
“We feel that Valencia will bring a rich dimension to the Games and, this being the first a Games will be held in Spain, it will have a positive impact on the city,” said Joanie Evans, co-president of the FGG.
Valencia’s Sports Council believes the event will attract more than 15,000 athletes and 100,000 visitors. “The Gay Games would become the most important sporting event in the Valencian Community, after the America’s Cup,” said a spokesperson for the council.
The event will include various cultural activities and is expected to attract more than 15,000 athletes and 100,000 visitors, according to Valencia’s sports council. And it’s expected to give the city’s economy a boost, too!
In August, the Councilor for Sports and acting mayor, Pilar Bernabé, said that if the Gay Games were held in the city, it would have an economic impact of more than $148 million, and added that it would provide a major boost in tourism similar to other host cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, and Toronto.
The Games last a little over a week and will host competitions of more than 30 different types of sport including Valencian pilot (or the colpbol), sailing, rowing, basketball, beach volleyball, hockey, soccer, rugby, fencing, cycling, tennis, and yes, even novelty games such as e-sports or quidditch.
No dates have been set for Gay Gaymes XI, but they will more than likely be held between May and June. And you won’t have to wait that long to see watch LGBTQ+ athletes compete. The FGG recently announced that the postponed 2022 Gay Games XI will happen on Nov. 3-11, 2023. Get inspired and take a look at a few photos from Gay Games X hosted by Paris in 2018.
