Daejeon Selected as Candidate City to Host "Invictus Games 2029"

Included Among Six Candidate Cities... Aiming to Host in Asia for the First Time

Daejeon City announced that it has been included among the six candidate cities to host the international sports event for wounded veterans, the "Invictus Games 2029."

The candidate cities announced by the Invictus Games Foundation (IGF) in Lausanne, Switzerland, are Daejeon, Aalborg in Denmark, Veneto in Italy, Abuja in Nigeria, San Diego in the United States, and Kyiv in Ukraine.

Daejeon is recognized as a leading commemorative city in South Korea, home to the Daejeon National Cemetery and Daejeon Veterans Hospital, and is highly regarded for its symbolic significance in honoring and supporting the recovery of wounded veterans.

By the end of this year, the final candidate countries (two to three countries) will be announced. The host city for the "Invictus Games 2029" will be officially selected in the summer of 2026, following the submission of host applications and on-site inspections in the first half of next year.

To enhance its competitiveness in the bidding process, the city received approval for the international event from the Ministry of Economy and Finance in March, and is currently formulating a comprehensive hosting plan in cooperation with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon, stated, "If the Invictus Games 2029 are held in Daejeon, it will be the first time the event is hosted in Asia," adding, "This will serve as a meaningful opportunity to commemorate the international solidarity of the Korean War and to share with the world the values of sacrifice and dedication for freedom."

The Invictus Games is an international sports competition for wounded veterans, founded in 2014 by Prince Harry of the United Kingdom. If the 2029 Invictus Games are held in Daejeon, more than 2,500 athletes from approximately 20 countries are expected to participate.