Leeds Bids to Host 4,000-Player LGBTQ+ Rugby World Cup

A rugby club in northern England is reaching for something bigger than a trophy. Leeds Hunters has officially bid to host the 2028 Bingham Cup and Amanda Mark Cup, tournaments that will bring up to 4,000 LGBTQ+ and inclusive rugby players to their city for six days of sport and community.

The Bingham Cup started small in 2002 as a tribute to Mark Bingham, a gay rugby player who died heroically on United Flight 93 during the September 11 attacks. What began as a memorial has grown into the world's largest amateur LGBTQ+ rugby tournament, held every two years and expanding across continents.

Player Nathan Martin captured what makes these games different. "It's about feeling connected, it's about being with other people that may be like you, may be different, but you're welcome," he told BBC News.

The bid includes both the men's Bingham Cup and the women's Amanda Mark Cup, which actively welcomes and supports trans women players. Leeds Hunters posted their support publicly, writing that their priority is ensuring "every player can take part with confidence, integrity and a genuine sense of belonging."

Leeds has lined up serious backing for their proposal. The Leeds Rhinos Foundation, Leeds Tykes, Leeds City Council, and the University of Leeds all support the bid. Matches would be played at West Park Leeds Rugby Club, with the final at Headingley Stadium.

The Ripple Effect

This tournament goes beyond sport. Player William McLean imagined thousands of players in colorful kits flooding Leeds' famous Otley Run pub crawl route, a celebration visible to the entire city. The economic boost matters too, but the cultural impact of hosting 4,000 athletes who found acceptance through rugby could reshape how the region thinks about inclusion in sports.

The proposed dates are July 24 to 29, 2028. International Gay Rugby will announce the winning city in the coming months, choosing between Leeds and other bidding locations worldwide.

For a city willing to roll out the welcome mat this wide, the reward is bigger than hosting a tournament. It's showing the world that rugby, traditionally seen as rugby's most masculine sport, has room for everyone who wants to play.