Prince Harry's Invictus Games Are Returning to the U.K. for the First Time in 10 Years

Prince Harry's Invictus Games will once again be held in England.

The latest city to win the chance to hold the Duke of Sussex's paralympic-style adaptive sports tournament for veterans and wounded, injured and sick armed forces personnel is Birmingham, England.

The selection of the city, which was chosen over Washington, D.C., brings the Invictus Games back to the U.K. for the first time since the inaugural competition was held in London in 2014.

The announcement came on July 23 in the U.K. by a team led by Dominic Reid, CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation, who recently announced he will step down in 2025.

The Invictus Games Birmingham will take place in July 2027, following the next games scheduled for February 2025 in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada, which will feature winter sports for the first time.

In a statement, Prince Harry, 39, congratulated Birmingham, noting: "Your city’s strong ties to the Armed Forces community made it a formidable contender from the very start. Over the years, we’ve seen each city bring a unique spirit and vision to life for competitors, their families, and spectators."

"We have no doubt the people of Birmingham will join in celebrating the unwavering respect and admiration we have for our veteran and service community, showing the world how their courage ignites hope and unites us all — something your city knows well.”

On Tuesday, July 23, the British Minister for Veterans and People, the Rt Hon Al Carns, will take part in a flag-raising ceremony at the city's National Exhibition Centre to announce the venue. He said the Invictus Games "harness the power of sport to supercharge the recovery and rehabilitation of military personnel and veterans. We will always support wounded, injured and sick personnel and veterans. The Invictus Games are just one way we offer lasting support to personnel and veterans facing illness or injury."

The announcement will be followed by a presentation of the new sports set to be included in the event — pickleball and laser run. Former Invictus Games competitors will take part in the demonstrations on July 23.

Lord Allen, chair of the Invictus Games Foundation, praised the "depth of passion in the bidding team, the experience they brought to the planning and preparations and to the concept of the NEC as a one-site Games."

"Our thanks go to the team behind the Washington DC bid who were able to demonstrate the city could be a fantastic location for the future. As the Foundation looks to the next ten years, we’re excited about the Games pipeline we are building, and for the next ten years of Invictus!”

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Since the inaugural games in 2014, the Invictus Games have traveled the globe, with the 2027 event marking the eighth edition of the monumental competition. The event has previously taken place in London (2014), Orlando (2016), Toronto (2017), Sydney (2018), The Hague (2022—postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic), and Düsseldorf (September 2023), with British Columbia set to host the next games in February.

Last year in Germany, the Invictus Games welcomed Nigeria as the first African nation to participate. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle visited the country in May to underscore that connection, and to champion their Archewell Foundation's mental health initiatives for young people.

"I’m so happy with the growth of Invictus and to include Nigeria," the Duke of Sussex told PEOPLE at the time. "You know what Africa means to me over the years. It is a very, very special place, and to be able to include Nigeria now [in Invictus], I’m very happy."