Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
World Police and Fire Games coming to Birmingham
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Birmingham will host the 2025 World Police and Fire Games June 27 – July 6.
Nicknamed the “Game of Heroes,” the WPFG is an biennial Olympic-style tournament pitting together first responders from across the globe.
What to know
The World Police and Fire Games originated in 1985 in California as the California Police Games. Since then, they have become a global event, welcoming an average of 10,000 athletes from over 70 countries.
The competition aims to honor and celebrate community heroes.
Eligible competitors include:
- Law enforcement
- Firefighters
- Corrections officers
- Probation officers
- Border protection officers
- Immigration officers
- Customs officers
Birmingham edition
Birmingham will host the 2025 WPFG from June 27 – July 6.
This year marks the 9th edition to be hosted on American soil, and the first since the 2017 Games in Los Angeles. The last two editions were held in Chengdu, China, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
More than 8,500 athletes are expected to come to Birmingham, competing in over 60 sports. Events include both traditional sports such as soccer, baseball or basketball, but also WPFG-specific sports. This year will see participants compete in the Firefighter Challenge, K-9 Biathlon and Police Pistol Combat.
For a full list of events, click here.
Official ceremonies
The World Police and Fire Games feature three distinct ceremonies over the event’s 10-day span.
An opening ceremony will be held at 6PM June 27 in the BJCC’s Legacy Arena. As with the Olympics, the event will feature a parade of athletes.
The competition’s second ceremony will be a Memorial Service at 2PM June 29 in the Athletes’ Village. The service will be dedicated to honoring police and fire personnel who died in the line of duty.
The 2025 WPFG will end with a closing ceremony at 4:30PM July 6 at the Birmingham City Walk. Officials will ceremoniously pass the flag to the next host city, Perth, Australia, and commemorate the best moments of this year’s edition.
Birmingham venues
The 2025 WPFG will use 35 separate venues spread throughout the greater Birmingham area.
Events will be held in the following locations:
- BJCC Exhibition Hall
- Birmingham Crossplex
- Hoover Met Sports Complex
- Boutwell Auditorium
- CMP Talladega Markmanship Park
- Oak Mountain State Park
- 1601 6th Avenue North Tower
- The Alabama Theatre
- Barber Motorsports Park
- Bent Brook Golf Course
- City Walk Bham
- Birmingham City Hall
- BJCC Legacy Arena
- Dixie Trap & Gun Club
- George Ward Park
- Highland Park Golf Course
- Hoover Inverness Nature Park & Trails
- Judith Legerski CMP Competition Center
- Lincoln Landing
- Lyric Theatre
- Pelham Civic Complex
- Picklr
- Poppa G’s Billiards
- Railroad Park
- Rickwood Field
- Rotary Trail
- RTJ Oxmoor Valley Golf Course
- Sicard Hollow/Liberty Park Sports Complex
- Samford University
- Smyer Road
- Spain Park High School
- Talladega Speedway
- UAB Beach Volleyball Courts
- Vestavia Bowl
- Veterans Park Hoover
Planning to attend the 2025 World Police and Fire Games? Share your best pictures with us by tagging @bhamnow on socials.
