FGG

2026 Valencia Gay Games XII

Gay Games XII will take place in 2026 in Valencia, Spain

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA, November 11, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, USA, 11 November 2021

At the FGG 2021 Annual General Assembly Meeting In Brighton, U.K., Valencia was named presumptive host of Gay Games XII to be held in 2026.

The ceremonial Gay Games flag will be passed from Hong Kong to Valencia in November 2023 when Gay Games 11 will take place after being postponed from 2022.

Dave Killian, Officer of Site Selection says, "The Site Selection process to host the Gay Games is a long and difficult one. The FGG is thrilled that Valencia has been selected as the presumptive host of Gay Games XII in 2026 and look forward to working with them to produce an amazing event. The Gay Games will be held for the first time in Spain, which highlights the growing global footprint of our event."

Co-President, Sean Fitzgerald states, “All finalist bid cities did an amazing job in delivering their final presentations but at the end of the day there can only be one host city. We are delighted it is Valencia and we are confident that the team will do an incredible job of bringing the Gay Games principles to their city."

Co-President, Joanie Evans adds, “Congratulations Valencia! We are so excited to be heading there in 2026. As someone who has been on a bid team (London 2018), I know the heartache of not winning and I want to recognise our two other finalists, Guadalajara and Munich. That said, we feel that Valencia will bring a rich dimension to the Games and, this being the first time a Games will be held in Spain, it will have a positive impact on the city."

The FGG wants to express its gratitude to the record number of 20 cities from 6 continents that expressed interest in bidding to host 2026 Gay Games XII. It shows that countries want to not only welcome diverse communities to their cities but also want to be a place of community, connectedness and inclusion for all people.

The bid cities were:
Brisbane, Australia; São Paulo, Brazil; Toronto, Canada; Munich, Germany; Dublin, Ireland
Guadalajara, Mexico; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Auckland, New Zealand; Lisbon, Portugal; Cape Town, South Africa; Durban, South Africa; Valencia, Spain; Taipei, Taiwan; Liverpool, UK; Austin, USA; Fort; Lauderdale, USA; Minneapolis, USA; New Orleans, USA; San Diego, USA; Seattle, USA

The eight cities that made it to the semi-final round were Auckland, Brisbane, Guadalajara, Munich, San Diego, Taipei, Toronto and Valencia.

Gay Games is open to all, and since its debut in 1982 it has continued to perpetuate the legacy of changing cultural, social and political attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people. A core principle of the Federation of Gay Games is “Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best™”. These principles will be represented next at Gay Games 11 in Hong Kong in November 2023. There will be 36 sports and numerous Arts and Culture events over 9 days. It has never been more important to stand up for the rights of the LGBTQ+ communities around the world.

About the Federation of Gay Games
The Gay Games was conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, as a way to empower thousands of LGBTQ+ athletes and artists through sport, culture, and fellowship. It 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+Akron (2014), and Paris (2018). Gay Games 11 will be held in Hong Kong in 2022. Visit www.gaygameshk2022.com for more information.
“Gay Games,” “Federation of Gay Games,” the interlocking circles device, and the phrase “Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best” are trademarks of the Federation of Gay Games, Inc. Trademarks are registered in the USA, Canada, Benelux, the UK, Germany, and Australia.

Contact Information:
Shiv Paul
VP of External Relations
shiv.paul@gaygames.net

Address:
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San Francisco, CA 94114 USA
Phone: +1-866-459-1261

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Shiv Paul
Federation of Gay Games Inc
+44 7717 244097
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