Potential 2029 Invictus Games hosts include Ukraine, Korea, Nigeria & Italy

The Invictus Foundation released their list of potential host cities for the 2029 Invictus Games this week. The next games are in 2027, and Birmingham, England is the host city. I’m still not happy about that, and I wish the Invictus executive team had understood that Birmingham would be such a difficult choice for their founder and patron. It also feels like the Windsors are going to organize a lot of despicable BS around the 2027 games. But hey, they’re a long way away, and we can look ahead to the 2029 games with more hope, I guess. The list of potential host cities: Aalborg, Denmark; Abuja, Nigeria; Daejeon, Republic of Korea, Kyiv, Ukraine; San Diego, CA; Veneto Region, Italy. Love it! Love the diversity – Nigeria seems extremely committed to building their veterans’ programs. I would also love to see Invictus hosted by Korea, it would be fantastic. But a lot of people are talking about Ukraine’s inclusion, given that there’s still a war IN Ukraine right now.

Ukraine has launched a “compelling” bid to host Prince Harry’s Invictus Games in four years. Kyiv, the capital, is among six cities vying to host the 2029 event, despite war-torn Ukraine’s “complex ongoing geopolitical challenges”. The announcement comes weeks after the Duke of Sussex made an unannounced visit to Ukraine, where he met wounded military personnel and civilians at a rehabilitation clinic in the western city of Lviv.

In February, Dominic Reid, the outgoing chief executive of the Invictus Games Foundation (IGF), expressed hopes of holding the event in Ukraine as soon as possible after the war ended. He said the country was now home to “100,000 amputees”.

The IGF said: “Notwithstanding the complex ongoing geopolitical challenges, Ukraine has submitted a compelling expression of interest for hosting a future Invictus Games. With a demonstrable pressing need and powerful rationale for an internationally collaborative approach, Kyiv emphasises its legacy of hosting major international events and its commitment to using the Games as a platform for innovative recovery and rehabilitation services for its veteran population.”

It said a multi-ministerial commission would oversee planning and delivery. Natalyia Kalmykova, Ukraine’s veterans affairs minister, who met Prince Harry during his trip, said: “Sport is a key function in veterans’ healthcare. It’s thanks to our relationship with Invictus that we established, and continue to develop, the role of sports in recovery in Ukraine, and why it’s included in the veteran policy strategy.”

The Ukrainian team has played a prominent role in the Games in recent years. In 2023, Harry and Meghan embraced Ukrainian silver medalist Yulia “Taira” Paievska during the presentation ceremony in Dusseldorf, Germany.

[From The Telegraph]

I’m not sure anyone actually believes that Invictus will choose Ukraine as the host country – the point of including Kyiv on the shortlist is that the inclusion alone highlights Ukrainian veterans and the work the Ukrainian government does for veterans. It’s an honor just to be nominated, etc. It’s also great because the Invictus community has done so much to support Ukrainians too, and it was HUGE that Prince Harry traveled to Ukraine and saw the work they’re doing with veterans.

The Invictus Games Foundation is delighted to reveal that we have received 6 Expressions of Interest to host the Invictus Games 2029.

Aalborg – Denmark

Abuja – Nigeria

Daejeon – Republic of Korea

Kyiv – Ukraine

San Diego – USA

Veneto Region – Italy

One of these cities will… pic.twitter.com/oy3EryTVZk

— Invictus Games Foundation ???????? (@WeAreInvictus) June 17, 2025

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Ukrainian social media.