Tens of thousands of athletes are set to descend on Perth, Western Australia in 2029 as the city hosts the World Masters Games.
The International Masters Games Association has accepted the bid from Perth, which was presented by the Confederation of Australian Sport and UniSport Australia.
Up to 30,000 athletes are expected to participate in the World Masters Games representing over 100 countries, as well as more than 10,000 spectators, volunteers, coaches and officials, injecting tens of millions of dollars into the WA economy.
The Albanese Government will provide $16.3 million over 6 years, while the WA Government will also support the successful delivery of the World Masters Games 2029.
The popular mass-participation event is traditionally held every four years and will take place at venues across Perth in October 2029.
The 12-day, multi-sport event is open to amateur athletes aged over 35 years old and includes 45 sporting disciplines across the program.
It will be the fourth time an Australian city has hosted the event, following Brisbane (1994), Melbourne (2002) and Sydney (2009). Find out more about the World Masters Games at imga.ch.
As stated by Federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells:
“Sport should be for life, and I want people of all ages reaping the physical and mental health benefits that competition and physical activity provides.
“World Masters Games participants will show us age is not a barrier, any more than gender or disability should be a barrier, to doing what you love – being active, and being competitive.
“This is also another key event on the Green and Gold Runway for Brisbane 2032 because the Olympics and Paralympics is more than just a showcase for elite talent, it’s an opportunity to create greater participation in sport across Australia.
As stated by WA Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism, Rita Saffioti:
“The eyes of the world will truly be on Western Australia when tens of thousands of athletes, spectators, volunteers, and coaches descend on our city to compete in the World Masters Games in 2029.
“We’ve had an incredible year of blockbuster events, and it’s fantastic that we’re able to announce yet another major event taking place in WA, which is notably one of the largest mass participation events in the world.
“Securing a mass participation event like the World Masters Games is all part of our State’s events strategy and our overarching tourism strategy, and we know these events have proven to deliver huge benefits for the State’s economy and leave a lasting social legacy.
“We know that many of the competitors use events like this as an opportunity to travel to new destinations, so I really hope and encourage those who make the journey out to Perth in 2029 extend their travel, turn it into a holiday and explore all our beautiful State has to offer.”
As stated by WA Minister for Sport and Recreation, David Templeman:
“This is great news for Western Australia – the World Masters Games (WMG) encourage the community to stay active and provide all participants with a chance to compete for a WMG medal.
“The World Masters Games offers community and participant social benefits by bringing together individuals globally through shared sporting interests, inclusive camaraderie, fostering cultural exchange, and providing platforms for connection, celebration, and lasting friendships.
“The WA Government has invested heavily in sports and events infrastructure in recent years to create world-class facilities, and it is great to see the return on that investment shaping up with the confirmation of the World Masters Games for 2029, who found our outstanding facilities to be a significant drawcard.”
