Invictus Games Foundation Announces New Invictus Australia Sports Festival Presented by ATCO

The Invictus Games Foundation is proud to announce the launch of the Invictus Australia Sports Festival, a brand-new international adaptive sports event set to take place in Perth, Australia, in October 2026.

Presented by ATCO, the festival will create additional opportunities for international wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to engage in competitive sport as part of their recovery journey, expanding the impact of the Invictus Movement beyond the biennial Invictus Games.

The announcement was made today by Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, Duke of Sussex, during an Invictus Australia event held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra following the Last Post ceremony. The event was attended by The Hon. Matt Keogh MP, Minister for Veteran’s Affairs and Defence Personnel, and hosted by Paralympian Paul Nunnari PSM PLY.

The Invictus Australia Sports Festival will invite competitors from Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea, fostering regional collaboration and strengthening the role of sport in recovery. In addition to competition, the festival will also look to host an observer programme welcoming other nations from across the region interested in developing their own sports recovery initiatives for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.

Rob Owen OBE, CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation, said:
"The launch of the Invictus Australia Sports Festival marks an exciting step forward in our mission to provide year-round opportunities for recovery through sport. By creating more regular, regional opportunities for competition, we can reach and support even more members of our community. We are deeply grateful to ATCO and Invictus Australia for their partnership in bringing this vision to life, and to Invictus Germany for providing the blueprint.”

Lisa Cooke, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of ATCO, said:
“We’re thrilled to build on ATCO’s longstanding support for military communities by being the presenting partner of the first Invictus Australia Sports Festival. Through our extensive Invictus Games involvement, we’ve seen firsthand how sport can help service personnel and veterans recover, build resilience and feel connected and are honoured to help extend the positive impact of Invictus Movement in Australia.”

Glenn Keys AO, Chair of Invictus Australia said:
"We are delighted to host the inaugural Invictus Australia Sports Festival in Perth. This event will not only provide meaningful competitive opportunities for our own veteran community, but also strengthen regional connections and share best practice in sports recovery.

With our research demonstrating that sport can have a positive impact on 34 of the 122 recent findings of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, it’s more important than ever that we continue to work closely with our allies to advance support for our veterans and families, and learn from one another. We look forward to welcoming participants and observers alike to this landmark event."

The Invictus Australia Sports Festival reflects the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to building a global network of recovery opportunities, ensuring that the transformative power of sport is accessible to more members of the wounded, injured and sick service community worldwide.

Further details about the festival, including participating nations, sports and programme information, will be announced in due course.