By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–San Diego is one of the final six international cities now under consideration to host the Invictus Games 2029, a world-renowned adaptive sporting event for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women.
The official announcement by The Invictus Games Foundation marks a major milestone for the region’s efforts to bring the Games back to the United States for only the second time since its inception in 2014.
San Diego’s bid — championed by the City of San Diego and the British American Business Council San Diego — aims to showcase the city as a global leader in veteran wellness, recovery, and mental fitness.
If selected, San Diego would join past host cities such as Sydney, Australia; Toronto, Canada; The Hague, Netherlands; and Düsseldorf, Germany in celebrating the strength and resilience of veterans from across the globe.
“The Invictus Games represent more than elite competition,” said Francine Fyne Basson, president of the British American Business Council San Diego. “The Games are a global catalyst for recovery, recognition, and resilience. San Diego’s Invictus Games would be a rallying point for a new chapter of innovation in veteran recovery. We are actively seeking partners now who want to help us bring this possibility to reality.”
The Invictus Games were founded as an international adaptive sports event that supports the rehabilitation and recovery of international wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, a British Army veteran who served in Afghanistan. The event takes place in a new host city every two years and features around 550 participants competing in nine core sports: archery, cycling, indoor rowing, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, and wheelchair rugby. New adaptive sports being considered for a possible Invictus Games in San Diego include adaptive surfing and a triathlon.
In a powerful show of civic support, Mayor Todd Gloria issued an open letter and video underscoring the city’s deep-rooted military heritage and readiness to host.
“San Diego is home to the largest concentration of military assets in the world,” said Mayor Gloria. “We are uniquely positioned to provide an exceptional stage for these prestigious games, celebrating the resilience, strength, and perseverance of wounded warriors from across the globe. I look forward to the possibility of welcoming the Invictus Games community to America’s Finest City in 2029.”
Proposed venues include the San Diego Convention Center, Petco Park, and other iconic locations throughout the region, leveraging San Diego’s world-class infrastructure, unbeatable weather, and passionate military community.
The 2029 bid places San Diego alongside five other international contenders: Aalborg, Denmark; Abuja, Nigeria; Daejeon, South Korea; Kyiv, Ukraine; and the Veneto region, Italy. The final host city will be announced in the summer of 2026.
Anyone interested in supporting the City’s bid can visit invictusgamesandiego2029.com to learn how to get involved, volunteer, sponsor, or donate.
San Diego is one of six finalists to host the Invictus Games 2029, an international adaptive sports event that supports the rehabilitation and recovery of international wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans. The final host city will be announced in the summer of 2026.
