Prince Harry   has congratulated   Birmingham   after the city was announced as the host of the 2027 Invictus Games.  The West Midland city …

Prince Harry has congratulated Birmingham after the city was announced as the host of the 2027 Invictus Games.

The West Midland city beat a rival bid from Washington DC to secure the games.

Three new sports are expected to debut at the game, which will be held at the National Exhibition Centre in July 2027, these include pickleball, laser run and esports.

The games will be returning to the UK for the first time in 13 years after the inaugural Invictus Games were held in London in 2014.

In a statement reported by The Times he said: ‘Congratulations to Birmingham, UK, on winning the bid to host the Invictus Games 2027.

‘Your city’s strong ties to the armed forces community made it a formidable contender from the very start.’

Prince Harry founded the competition for wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Since the first game the number of competing nations has steadily grown from 13 nations in 2014 to 22 in the most recent 2023 games held in Dusseldorf.

The Duke of Sussex attended a special service at St Paul’s Cathedral in May to mark the tenth anniversary of the games.

The Duchess of Sussex did not join Harry for the service and neither did Prince William or King Charles.

Birmingham’s bid for the game was backed with £26million from the government. The city’s bid focused on the NEC, and drew on connection to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Selly Oak, which treats wounded injured and sick service personnel and veterans.

As well as the Royal College of Defence Medicine, which trains UK clinicians and the world class Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall.

Two new sports set to be played at the games are Laser run and Pickleball. Laser Run involves athletes running a number of laps while shooting a laser pistol.

Pickleball involves players hitting a hollow plastic ball with a smooth-faced paddle.

Birmingham was the most recent host of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 after the original host city Durban in South Africa was unable to host.

The next Invictus Games are due to be held in Whistler, Canada, in 2025.