Liverpool has joined the list of 25 cities from around the world to express an official interest in hosting the Gay Games in 2030, according to the Federation of Gay Games (FGG). The first phase of bidding for Gay Games XIII attracted cities from six continents, giving them an opportunity to participate in the global LGBTQIA+ movement as athletes, artists and allies. Gay Games represents a critical cultural and economic opportunity for any region, drawing ten thousand LGBTQIA+ participants and allies for a week. The recent economic impact studies of Paris and Cleveland/Akron showed €107 million and $52 million respectively.
The 25 cities willing to host the Gay Games XIII are Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth in Australia, São Paulo in Brazil, Edmonton and Vancouver in Canada, Frankfurt in Germany, Athens in Greece, Auckland in New Zealand, Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, Taipei in Taiwan, Liverpool and London in the UK, and Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Denver, Honolulu, Miami, Minneapolis, Oak Creek, San Antonio, San Diego, and Seattle in the USA.
Andi Herring, CEO of LCR Pride Foundation, said, “Since founding LCR Pride Foundation one of our ambitions has been to host The Gay Games. Five years later, it is great to see our city region listed in the long-list for the 2030 Games, and we are delighted to be amongst such good company. Our commitment to making Liverpool City the most LGBT+ friendly region in the UK combined with the region’s rich sporting history and renowned reputation worldwide makes the city region a fitting host.”
Councillor Harry Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture said, “We’re always looking ahead to what events we can host in Liverpool and the wider city region, and we’re delighted to support LCR Pride in throwing our hat in the ring to host the Games. There’s a long way to go in the process, but we look forward to working with LCR Pride to ensure Liverpool’s bid stands out.”
In March 2024, all shortlisted cities will receive a Request for Proposal (RFP) detailing the documentation bidders will be required to submit, covering a broad range of subjects such as sports they plan to host, facilities, funding and organization composition. The FGG will have the first in-person contact with bidders at the next Annual General Assembly, October 2024, in Washington, where bidders will be invited to attend an information session and interact with FGG stakeholders. Currently, Valencia, Spain, is set to host the 2030 event
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