Which Cities Want to Host Gay Games XIII in 2030? Here’s the List!

Ten cities in the U.S. and two cities in the U.K. are interested in hosting the Gay Games XIII in 2030, including London, Liverpool, Atlanta, Boston, Minneapolis, Honolulu, and yes, Birmingham, Alabama, too! 

As part of its first phase of the bidding process, The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) said that 25 cities on six continents have submitted an official response to their Request for Information (RFI), touting the process as “transparent” and that it also “empowers communities to mobilize their stakeholders and unite to participate in the global LGBTQIA+ movement as athletes, artists, and allies.”

The Gay Games sporting and culture event is an opportunity to invite over ten thousand LGBTQIA+ participants and allies to one’s region. The week-long event represents a critical cultural and economic opportunity providing significant economic impact to a region. Recent impact studies reported Paris (2018) at $186 million and Cleveland/Akron (2014) at $52 million. 

You may recall that Hong Kong and Guadalajara, Mexico hosted the Gay Games XI in 2023, but for the Gay Games XIII in 2030, these are the cities interested in hosting duties:

Adelaide, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Perth, Australia

São Paulo, Brazil

Edmonton, Canada

Vancouver, Canada

Frankfurt, Germany

Athens, Greece

Auckland, New Zealand

Cape Town, South Africa

Johannesburg, South Africa

Taipei, Taiwan

Liverpool, UK

London, UK

Atlanta, USA

Birmingham, USA

Boston, USA

Denver, USA

Honolulu, USA

Miami, USA

Minneapolis, USA

Oak Creek, USA

San Antonio, USA

San Diego, USA

Seattle, USA

Officer of Site Selection, Austin Manning, conveyed the excitement of the FGG in receiving such emphatic early interest in hosting Gay Games XIII. “This record-breaking interest for hosting the 2030 Gay Games showcases a truly global sports and culture movement with regions around the world taking the first step in bidding to host the Gay Games quadrennial event. As regions and countries around the world continue to take legislative and social action to protect human rights and create pathways to equality for all, the 2030 Long List includes 25 cities committed to empowering, uplifting, and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community at home and abroad.”

In March 2024, each of the listed 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 they plan to use, funding, organization composition, and more. 

The FGG will have a first in-person contact with bidders at the next Annual General Assembly, October 2024, in Washington, DC, where bidders will be invited to attend an information session and interact with FGG stakeholders and member organizations, including presentation of Preliminary Bid Books and participation in Q&A sessions.

Over the next two years, bidders will develop their plans in coordination with the FGG and its member delegates leading to the selection of the FGG presumptive host for the 2030 Gay Games XIII in November 2025 in Valencia, Spain. And in June 2026, Valencia will also host Gay Games XII. Registration is set to open in the coming months. Click here for more information!

About the Federation of Gay Games


Built upon the principles of Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best™ since 1982, the Federation of Gay Games exists to promote equality in sport and culture for all. The Gay Games was conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, and 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 and Akron (2014), Paris (2018), Hong Kong and Guadalajara (2023), and Gay Games XII takes place in Valencia in 2026.