The UK has secured the rights to host the Invictus Games in Birmingham in 2027. To deliver the Games a special purpose vehicle has been set up, a company limited by guarantee with charitable objects (Invictus UK 2027). It will have its own board of trustees and CEO/Executive team.
The CEO, core executive team and key partnerships are in place to deliver the event’s vision and strategic objectives. The board will oversee the delivery of the most cohesive, celebrated and sustainable event in the Games history, as well as a transformational legacy programme that will deliver impacts well Beyond the Games.
The Games
The Invictus Games is an international biennial event overseen by the Invictus Games Foundation (IGF) which is an independent charity, whose Chair of Trustees is Lord Allen of Kensington and whose Patron is the Duke Of Sussex. The inaugural Games was held in London, 2014 involving 14 nations and has since grown through Games in Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, the Hague, Dusseldorf, Vancouver/Whistler (2025) and in 2027 Birmingham, UK.
The ethos of the Games are unique in that participants are not chosen because they are strongest, fastest, fittest but because taking part will help them in their recovery journey of injury or illness acquired through Service to their country. It is a cultural celebration with Armed Forces and their families and their supporters from around the world, bringing to life what our Armed Forces do, and the sacrifices they make, on our behalf day in and day out to defend our country.
Over 20 nations compete (selected by IGF) with x550 participants; the Games is for those members of the Armed Forces that are wounded, injured or made sick (WIS) during or through Service to their country.
The Games takes place over 10 days (seven days of sport) and forms nine core sports, with each nation able to bring in new elements (for 2027, the UK will be introducing Pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the World; Laser Run (a biathlon involving running /pushing and shooting) and eSports. A conference will sit alongside bringing together academia, policy makers, practitioners, to showcase best practice.
The 2027 Games will take place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham. The NEC hosted seven sports during the Commonwealth Games in 2022, has purpose built venues, including a concert arena for the opening and closing ceremony. It also has fantastic transport links with an international rail station, airport and extensive road network all connected to the site.
The vision for 2027 is to deliver the most cohesive, celebrated and sustainable event in the Games history. Everything will be located on one site (hotel accommodation, sports, festival and concerts); alongside a cultural family and friends programme to enjoy all that Birmingham and the wider region have to offer.
Birmingham’s links to the Armed Forces are powerfully connected to the Invictus community with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital treating our wounded, injured or sick personnel, Fisher House which accommodates their families whilst loved ones are receiving treatment, the Royal College of Defence Medicine which trains our clinical staff and of course the Defence Medical and Rehabilitation Centre in the region; these have all individually and collectively contributed to the treatment and recovery of Serving Personnel and led the world in research which has shaped civilian medical practice too.
The Games will be financed through a combination of commercial revenue (sponsorship, ticketing, etc) and government funding. We have a mature budget, commercial strategy and plan, and confidence the Games will be largely privately funded.
Beyond the Games activity is really important for the Birmingham Games and we will deliver an impact and legacy programme that supports WIS into employment, financial health, research, education and training, with KPIs and measurable impact.
Our responsibility to participating nations is also foremost, with an exciting opportunity for using the Invictus Platform to further diplomacy activities with the 20+ nations which take part.
Our responsibility to the next generations. . We will use the power and inspiration of Invictus to tell the stories of the participants, their friends and families, to a global audience and particularly to inspire those with adaptive needs and for those that can support adaptive sports, arts and employment opportunities for children and adults alike. This will truly be a whole of nation effort, engaging across Government departments, the private sector, third sector and academia to deliver the most amazing week of games whilst delivering on impact and lasting legacies.