Gay Games 2030: Liverpool makes longlist to host event

Last year, the Gay Games was hosted jointly by Hong Kong and the Mexican city of Guadalajara

Liverpool has been named as one of 25 cities interested in hosting the Gay Games in 2030.

The city joins London as the other UK contender for the event - once known as the Gay Olympics - which was held in Hong Kong and Guadalajara last year.

The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) announced the longlist of cities in with a chance to host the week-long sporting and culture event.

The winner will be announced in Valencia in November 2025, it said.

Each city now has two years to put a bid together detailing the sports they plan to host, facilities they plan to use, and how it would be funded.

The FGG said the event is an opportunity to invite more than 10,000 LGBTQ+ participants and allies to the region, and would have "significant economic impact".

Councillor Harry Doyle said he was looking forward to making the bid "stand out"

Other cities included in the list are Melbourne, Miami, San Diego, Frankfurt, Cape Town and Vancouver.

Andi Herring, of the Liverpool City Region Pride Foundation, said: "Our commitment to making Liverpool City Region the most LGBT+ friendly region in the UK has gone from strength to strength in the past five years, combined with the region's rich sporting history and renowned reputation worldwide makes the city region a fitting host."

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 Gay Games.

"We're a city committed to embracing all communities, and hosting the most successful Eurovision ever showcased how we - on a global stage - excel when it comes to fostering diversity, combining it with creativity and scouse flair."

He added there was a long way to go but he was looking forward to making their bid "stand out".

The Gay Games was the brainchild of Tom Waddell, a US Olympic decathlete who wanted to share the spirit of the Games for his community. IT was first held in San Francisco in 1982 and has since been held in Vancouver, New York, Amsterdam, Sydney, Chicago, Cologne, Cleveland+Akron, Paris, Hong Kong and Guadalajara,

Last year marked the first time in its 41-year history that the event was shared between two regions - Asia and Latin America - as Hong Kong and the Mexican city of Guadalajara acted as co-hosts.

The next Gay Games takes place in Valencia in 2026.