EuroGames Cardiff 2027 becomes first UK backer of gender-inclusive sports charter

EuroGames Cardiff 2027 has taken a major step toward deeper LGBTQ+ inclusion by becoming the first organisation in the United Kingdom to sign the Charter for Gender Diversity in Sports.

Pride Sports Cymru, which is delivering the 2027 edition of Europe’s largest multisport event for LGBTQ+ athletes and allies, signed the Berlin-based charter on May 9. The initiative, created by sports club Seitenwechsel, focuses on dismantling barriers faced by trans, intersex and non-binary (TIN) people in sport.

As reported by Sports Media LGBT+, Lou Englefield, director of Pride Sports Cymru and EuroGames Cardiff 2027, formally signed the charter just over 14 months before the event opens in the Welsh capital. In doing so, organisers committed to nine core principles, including the use of inclusive language, safer changing spaces and the protection of participants’ privacy and dignity.

“Bringing EuroGames to Wales is a huge opportunity,” Englefield said. “We are showcasing Cardiff as a world-class sporting city, and also demonstrating our inclusive values. We’re the first edition of EuroGames to have signed the charter, and it sends out a message that gender diversity is a top priority as we continue to build towards July 2027.”

The signing coincided with a visit to Cardiff by board members of the European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF), which licenses EuroGames. During the weekend trip, the board toured prospective venues across the city that will host thousands of athletes from 14 to 17 July 2027. Registration is expected to open in late May 2026.

“Cardiff 2027 is joining around 25 sports clubs and associations which have so far signed the charter, from nations across Europe,” said Martin Muñoz, Project Manager for Association Development at Seitenwechsel eV and an EGLSF board member. “It’s the first EuroGames to have made this commitment, and Pride Sports Cymru is also the first organisation from the U.K. to join the list of signatories. The charter team and everyone at Seitenwechsel welcome this significant step.

“Next year’s EuroGames is already shaping up to be truly welcoming and inclusive to people of all genders, and the EGLSF is excited for what promises to be a game-changing event which will create a beautiful legacy.”

The charter is designed to help clubs and events move beyond a strict male/female framework. By signing, EuroGames Cardiff 2027 has committed to measures such as:

• Recognition, inclusion and support for TIN athletes
• Active promotion of TIN athletes in leadership roles
• Development of fully gender-inclusive sports programmes
• Use of documents, forms and contracts that reflect all genders

EuroGames is Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ and ally multisport gathering. The Cardiff edition will be the first time the event has been staged in the UK. Organisers forecast more than 5,000 athletes, spectators and volunteers travelling to the Welsh capital, with a programme of 38 sports. Events will range from football, rugby and swimming in city venues to trail running and hiking in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park.

Financial and structural support will be available via an Outreach Fund, currently open to applicants who are European residents or nationals facing barriers to participation. In line with its commitment to the charter, the organising team is particularly encouraging applications from transgender athletes and those who identify under the FLINTA umbrella (Frauen/women, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, transgender, agender).

Since winning the bid in March 2024, EuroGames Cardiff 2027 has named Olympic hockey medallist Sarah Jones and Cymru football icon Jess Fishlock as Ambassadors, and appointed veteran LGBTQ+ activist Lisa Power as Patron, further signalling that equality and representation sit at the heart of the event.

For LGBTQ+ professionals and allies who want to keep engaging with inclusive initiatives year-round – in sport, at work and beyond – platforms like myGwork offer a way to connect with diversity-focused employers, networks and opportunities.

You can support and benefit from this kind of inclusion by signing up to myGwork and joining a global community committed to equality.