TL;DR: As Valencia prepares to open the 2026 Gay Games, the majority of local LGBTQIA+ groups are not supporting the quadrennial multi-sports event. They accuse the region’s right-wing government of using the Gay Games to “pink wash” its otherwise anti-LGBTQIA+ legislative agenda. More than 10,000 participants are registered to attend from 80 countries, but they may be surprised to discover that local groups and activists, along with several Spanish queer sports organisations, are boycotting the Games.
The 2026 Gay Games are facing a major boycott by local LGBTQIA+ groups and Spanish queer sports organisations, who say the games are being used by the right-leaning regional coalition government as “pinkwashing.” It is the 12th edition of the global LGBTQIA+-inclusive multi-sports event, taking place in Spain for the first time, from June 27 to July 4.
The bid to host the 2026 Gay Games was originally won in November 2021 under Valencia's previous progressive local government, the socialist PSPV, in a minority coalition with Compromis. They worked with grassroots LGBTQIA+ organisations to design an inclusive, human-rights-focused event.
However, in 2023, the Valencian regional election saw a change to a conservative and far-right coalition, made up of the Partido Popular (PP) and Vox.
Local groups soon argued that this new administration would strip the Gay Games of its social justice meaning, turning it into a commercial tourist attraction to "pinkwash" their image, using queer culture for marketing while simultaneously rolling back LGBTQIA+ rights behind the scenes.
Leading associations Lambda, Samarucs, Dracs and ADI, as well as trans youth family support group Chrysallis, all withdrew their support and continue to distance themselves from the Valencia Gay Games.
A major complaint has been the regional government's proposed modification of Valencia's “Trans Law”. Although a central court ruling has temporarily suspended the changes, Lambda says the proposal is evidence enough that PP and Vox want to roll back established legal protections and rights for Trans+ people.
Alongside funding cuts and minimal engagement with the wider LGBTQIA+ community in the region, the group’s spokesperson, Fran Fernández, has said the Gay Games will be “a mirage of equality.”
Last month, Valencian officials announced a schedule for the city’s traditional Pride parade on the last Sunday of June, which would tie in with the Gay Games opening weekend. However, the local LGBTQIA+ groups said they were not consulted on this and felt the politicians had deliberately tried to outmanoeuvre them; they quickly announced their own Pride march on the preceding Saturday (20 June) instead.
Analysis: Controversy looms over the Gay Games
There has also been criticism around the registration fee, which, at the most basic level for those outside of Spain, is at least £180. Even with the cheapest discounts on offer to Valencian residents, and reduced prices for those from elsewhere in Spain, many locals have said the fee is too high. Some critics argue that bursaries for people on low incomes are not as plentiful as for previous Gay Games.
However, thousands have registered to take part, while also shelling out for travel and accommodation. The city is providing free public sports facilities and is relying heavily on unpaid volunteers to make everything run to plan.
Brits travelling to Valencia may encounter some protests and demonstrations. The local LGBTQIA+ groups want international visitors to look past the "escaparate turístico" (tourist shop window) and support the community on the ground, which says it feels abandoned by the institutions running the Gay Games.
We need more investment in queer accountability journalism.
Our rights are under attack, and navigating how to fight back is only possible with quality, fact-checked, accessible information - written by LGBTQIA+ journalists.
We're a small but mighty publisher, and are so glad you trust us every week to bring you a selection of the top queer news, unique perspectives and content everyone's talking about in this newsletter.
If QueerAF had more resources, I can assure you - we'd double down even further on our investigations and news output, but even more so: We'd train, mentor and invest in an even bigger new generation of queer journalists.
In just four years, we've supported 150 LGBTQIA+ creatives to develop their craft and careers.
We're not going anywhere, and that work continues.
We can't do it without you, so if you can - please start your monthly or annual membership to QueerAF, so we can help even more people fight back.
