The 2030 Gay Games had appeared to be in high demand, as many cities originally were in the running to host the international LGBTQ sporting event. Auckland, one of the top 3 finalists to host the games, has recently dropped out. That leaves only Perth, Australia and Denver, Colorado as possible hosts to the games. Many attribute the difficulty in finding a host to polarized political views. Others point out that the event isn’t a large enough draw on its own for cities to see a return on investment. Other, more affordable events like the Sin City Classic in Las Vegas or the Hurricane Roundup in Fort Lauderdale have become ways for sports-minded queer people to meet up. Many former Gay Games have drawn large crowds but some point to the fact that those were hosted in cities that are some of the most visited in the world. Paris, New York, Amsterdam, and Sydney top that list. The 2026 games in Valencia, Spain, may provide insight into how far the Queer community is willing to travel for sports.
