An international event organized by Prince Harry, the Invictus Games is a sporting competition for injured and ill military servicemen. It comes to BC in 2025.
The Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler
The Invictus Games is modelled after the Warrior Games in the US, which is also for active and veteran military personnel. The word “Invictus” means “undefeated” or “unconquerable” and is meant to evoke the fighting spirit of those wounded or otherwise harmed in the line of duty.
London hosted the first Invictus Games in 2014. The Games were founded by Prince Harry who was inspired by a visit to the Warrior Games the previous year. Since then there have been five subsequent Games. Orlando hosted in 2016, followed by Toronto in 2017, Sydney in 2018, The Hague in 2022 and Düsseldorf in 2023.
The 2025 Invictus Games are in both Vancouver and Whistler from February 8th to 16th. This is the 7th Invictus Games, and Canada is the first country to host the Games more than once. Over 500 athletes representing 20 different countries will compete at the event. The countries invited to participate are mostly from Europe, as well as some from North America, Asia and Oceania.
Vancouver’s Bid
The winning bid for the 2025 Games was submitted jointly by Vancouver and Whistler as well as the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations. They also partnered with the True Patriot Love foundation which supports veterans, active military members and their families.
This is to be the first Winter Hybrid Invictus Games. Participants in each event are current or former servicemen and women.
HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER
Looking for a place to stay in downtown Vancouver? Then check out the website StayVancouverHotels.com. You’ll find competitive pricing there, plus you’ll get a bonus perk (like a gift card or tickets to an event). Participating hotels include the Westin Bayshore, Pinnacle Harbourfront and lots of other great places.
Looking for a place to stay in Whistler? Then see the website WhatToDoInWhistler.ca. You’ll find lots of great places to stay there too, including the Pinnacle Whistler, Fairmont, Hilton and other hotels.
Events at the Games
There are eleven different sports at the 2025 Games including swimming, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball and indoor rowing which are at every Games.
In addition, there are adapted winter sports at the Invictus Games for the first time. Expect to see alpine skiing, biathlon, Nordic cross-country, skeleton, snowboarding and wheelchair curling.
There are six venues for the competitions. In Vancouver there are events at the Vancouver Convention Centre, the UBC Aquatic Centre and Hillcrest Centre. Whistler will play host to events at Whistler Blackcomb resort, Whistler Olympic Park and the Whistler Sliding Centre.
In addition, the opening ceremony for the Games is at BC Place Stadium and the closing ceremony is at Rogers Arena.
Musical artists scheduled to perform at the opening ceremony on February 8th include Katy Perry, Nelly Furtado, Chris Martin (from the band Coldplay) and Noah Kahan. Speakers include the Lieutenant Governor of BC, Premier David Eby and Prince Harry. The closing ceremony on February 16th features the Barenaked Ladies, Jelly Roll and The War & Treaty.
Invictus Games Opening Ceremonies Video
The following video shows scenes from the Opening Ceremonies at the Invictus Games at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver in 2025.
Medal Ceremonies
The medals for the 2025 Invictus Games are designed by four Indigenous artists, led by Levi Nelson of the Lil’wat Nation. The design incorporates traditional Coast Salish imagery including half of the eye of the Creator, a war paddle and braided cedar rope. 462 medals will be awarded over the course of the Games.
Each medal is presented inside a handmade Salish Bentwood Box and accompanied by a “Quarter Bag”. A Quarter Bag is a hand-knit wool bag, and each of them are slightly different from every other bag.
BC’S PLACE FOR SPORTS HISTORY
Want to learn about the history of sports and professional teams in British Columbia? Then check out the BC Sports Hall of Fame at BC Place Stadium. The museum is full of information about the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver Canadians and BC Lions. There are also exhibits about Canada’s two most famous athletes with physical challenges – Terry Fox and Rick Hansen.
Despite losing his leg to cancer, Terry Fox raised millions of dollars for cancer research by running across Canada. Rick Hansen, meanwhile, was the “Man in Motion” who wheeled his wheelchair all around the world raising money and awareness for spinal cord research. Both Canadian heroes are from British Columbia and lived in Metro Vancouver. The BC Sports Hall of Fame also has an exceptional Indigenous Sports Gallery.
TIP: For folks who live in the Lower Mainland and have children, the BC Sports Hall of Fame has Spring Break Camps for kids ages 7 to 10 on March 17th and 24th in 2025.
To learn more, see our article about the BC Sports Hall of Fame or visit bcsportshall.com.
Invictus Games Schedule
Below is the schedule of events for the 2025 Games. Tickets to attend the competitions range from around $13 to $30.
Saturday, February 8th
- Opening Ceremony – at BC Place (1:00 pm to 3:00 pm)
- Wheelchair Basketball – pool play at the Vancouver Convention Centre (6:20 pm to 9:30 pm)
Sunday, February 9th
- Wheelchair Basketball – pool play, semi-finals and finals at the Vancouver Convention Centre (8:20 am to 9:30 pm)
- Wheelchair Curling – pool play, semi-finals and finals at the Hillcrest Centre (8:30 am to 8:30 pm)
Monday, February 10th
- Skeleton – finals at the Whistler Sliding Centre (12:00 pm to 7:00 pm)
Tuesday, February 11th
- Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding – novice finals at Whistler Blackcomb (10:30 am to 3:00 pm)
- Nordic Cross-Country – finals at Whistler Olympic Park (10:00 am to 12:00 pm)
- Biathlon – finals at Whistler Olympic Park (12:15 pm to 3:30 pm)
- Skeleton – finals at the Whistler Sliding Centre (12:00 pm to 7:00 pm)
Wednesday, February 12th
- Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding – intermediate and advanced finals at Whistler Blackcomb (10:30 am to 3:00 pm)
Thursday, February 13th
- Wheelchair Rugby – pool play, semi-finals and finals at the Vancouver Convention Centre (8:20 am to 10:00 pm)
Friday, February 14th
- Swimming – heats and finals at the UBC Aquatic Centre (9:00 am to 9:30 pm)
Saturday, February 15th
- Sitting Volleyball – pool play, semi-finals and finals at the Vancouver Convention Centre (8:20 am to 10:00 pm)
Sunday, February 16th
- Indoor Rowing – finals at the Vancouver Convention Centre (9:00 am to 3:00 pm)
- Closing Ceremony – at Rogers Arena (6:00 pm to 8:00 pm)
Other Information
For more information about the event, visit the Invictus Games website. There’s details on the WhatToDoInWhistler.ca website as well.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver Festivals and Events
- Vancouver Pro Sports Teams
- February Calendar of Events
- FIFA World Cup 2026