Last chance for locals to sign up for Invictus Games priority tickets

Local people and members of the Armed Forces community have until 11.59pm on Sunday 11 October to sign up for priority tickets to next summer's Invictus Games Birmingham 2027.

Those who register can buy tickets in the Priority Presale on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 October, before tickets go on sale to all registered members of the Birmingham 2027 Community in a Community Presale the following week.

When and where

The Games take place from 10 to 17 July 2027 at the NEC and the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, which was built for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

What are the Invictus Games?

The Invictus Games are an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick serving military personnel and veterans. They were founded by the Duke of Sussex and first held in London in 2014, and have since been held in cities including Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague, Düsseldorf and Vancouver.

Competitors take part in sports such as wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, wheelchair rugby, athletics, swimming, archery and indoor rowing. The Games use the power of sport to support recovery and rehabilitation, and to build understanding of those who have served.

A home Games

Birmingham 2027 will bring hundreds of competitors from around the world, along with their families and friends, to the city. For many veterans, competing in front of a home crowd is a powerful moment, and organisers hope local people will fill the venues.

Volunteers wanted

The Games will rely on volunteers to welcome visitors, support athletes and help run the venues. University College Birmingham has already been encouraging its students to volunteer, and residents can find out about volunteering through the official Birmingham 2027 website.

Who counts as the Armed Forces community?

The Armed Forces community generally includes serving personnel, reservists, veterans and their families. Birmingham has a large veterans' community, supported by local charities and by the council's Armed Forces Covenant, a promise that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.

How to sign up

Registration for the Priority Presale is through the official Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 website. Registering does not guarantee tickets, and anyone who misses the deadline can still sign up to the Birmingham 2027 Community for the later presale and general sale.

Getting to the venues

The NEC is next to Birmingham International railway station and Birmingham Airport, with direct trains from New Street, while the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Smethwick is a short journey from the city centre by train or bus. Organisers are expected to publish travel advice, including accessible transport for spectators with disabilities, closer to the Games. Registering with the Birmingham 2027 Community is the way to hear about each stage of ticket sales.

A city of big events

The Invictus Games are the latest in a run of major sporting events in Birmingham, following the 2022 Commonwealth Games and this year's European Athletics Championships at the Alexander Stadium.