The 2025 Invictus Games for injured military and service personnel have kicked off in Vancouver with a star-studded opening ceremony featuring artists Katy Perry, Roxane Bruneau, Noah Kahan, Nelly Furtado and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
Event producer Patrick Roberge says it is the most “headliner stars” the sporting event has ever seen, adding there are about 800 people who will perform for a crowd of around 40,000 at B.C. Place.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, founded the Games in 2014 for wounded, injured or sick service personnel and veterans.
Up to 550 athletes from 23 nations are taking part in 11 adaptive sports in Whistler and Vancouver, with several of the events to take place in the same venues that hosted the 2010 Olympic Games.
This year is the first time the Games will feature winter sports, including the skeleton, skiing events and wheelchair curling, alongside indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball events as it has had previously.
Roberge says organizers are excited to host the first hybrid Games, adding that four First Nations are co-hosts, representing the “shared healing journey of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.”
“The general theme of the ceremonies will be ‘paddle together.’ It is also symbolic of our community coming together and hosting these Games,” Roberge told a media briefing on Thursday. “It’s [an] unbelievable response that we’ve been getting, not only from artists, but from the local community.”
He noted that Chris Martin, who penned the Invictus Games anthem for the first Games in 2014, was set to perform the song live for the first time at Saturday’s opening ceremony.
“We’re thrilled for that,” Roberge said. “That’s going to be a great moment in the show.”
He noted there is a buzz of excitement from everyone involved.
“There’s definitely an energy. I’m feeling it and our performers are feeling it,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing that shared experience in B.C. Place, and letting people see that these Games are unique, and together with the performers and the audience and all of our volunteers, it’s going to be a great experience.”
Attendee Gabrille Hack was among those who filed into B.C. Place ahead of the opening ceremony. She says her mother was volunteering at the event and got her tickets.
“She was able to give us some more information what the event was and it’s super cool,” she said.
The 24-year-old Vancouver resident says the atmosphere outside the stadium felt “busy” and “bumping.”
“Seeing people in their military outfits and everything — I think it’s just such a unique atmosphere,” Hack said, adding that watching the musicians live was another major draw.
That sentiment was shared by fellow ceremony-goer Gina Behnke. The Germany native says Kahan was the “main reason” she wanted to attend.
“Noah Kahan is my favourite artist and tickets for his concerts are really expensive, so this was a chance to see him, even if it’s just for one song,” Behnke said.
This year marks the seventh Games, and the second time they have been held in Canada. Toronto previously acted as host in 2017.
Roberge also produced the opening and closing ceremonies in Ontario.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are expected to be in attendance throughout the event. Prince Harry took to the stage Saturday during the opening ceremony to address the crowd.
Last year, the pair attended training camp in B.C., where the prince tried out sit-skiing and skeleton in Whistler before heading to Vancouver to try wheelchair curling alongside Canadian singer Michael Bublé.
The Games run until Feb. 16, and will conclude with a closing ceremony at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena that will feature artists including country singer Jelly Roll and Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies.
