Invictus Video games 2025 kick off with star-studded opening ceremony in Vancouver

The 2025 Invictus Video games for injured army and repair personnel has kicked off in Vancouver with a star-studded opening ceremony that includes artists Katy Perry, Roxane Bruneau, Noah Kahan, Nelly Furtado and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

Occasion producer Patrick Roberge says it’s the most “headliner stars” the sporting occasion has ever seen, including there are about 800 individuals who will carry out for a crowd of about 40,000 at BC Place.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, based the Video games in 2014 for wounded, injured or sick service personnel and veterans.

As much as 550 athletes from 23 nations are participating in 11 adaptive sports activities in Whistler and Vancouver, and several other of the occasions will happen in the identical venues that hosted the 2010 Olympic Video games. 

This 12 months is the primary time the Video games will function winter sports activities, together with the skeleton, snowboarding occasions and wheelchair curling, alongside indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball occasions because it has beforehand.

Roberge says organizers are excited to host the primary hybrid Video games, including that 4 First Nations are co-hosts, representing the “shared therapeutic journey of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.”

“The final theme of the ceremonies will probably be ‘paddle collectively.’ Additionally it is symbolic of our neighborhood coming collectively and internet hosting these Video games,” Roberge instructed a media briefing on Thursday. “It is (an) unbelievable response that we have been getting, not solely from artists, however from the area people.”

He famous that Martin, who penned the Invictus Video games anthem for the primary Video games in 2014, will carry out the tune dwell for the primary time at in the present day’s opening ceremony.

“We’re thrilled for that,” Roberge mentioned. “That is going to be an incredible second within the present.”

He famous there’s a buzz of pleasure from everybody concerned. 

“There’s positively an power. I am feeling it and our performers are feeling it,” he mentioned. “I am actually trying ahead to seeing that shared expertise in BC Place, and letting individuals see that these Video games are distinctive, and along with the performers and the viewers and all of our volunteers, it will be an incredible expertise.”

Attendee Gabrille Hack is among the many attendees who filed into BC Place forward of the opening ceremony. She says her mom was volunteering on the occasion and received her tickets. 

“She was in a position to give us some extra info what the occasion was and it is tremendous cool,” she says.

The 24-year-old Vancouver resident says the ambiance outdoors the stadium felt each “busy” and “bumping.”

“Seeing individuals of their army outfits and all the pieces — I feel it is simply such a singular ambiance,” Hack says, including that watching the music artists dwell is one other main draw.

That sentiment is shared by fellow ceremony-goer Gina Behnke. The Germany native says Kahan is the “fundamental purpose” she wished to attend. 

“Noah Kahan is my favorite artist and tickets for his concert events are actually costly, so this was an opportunity to see him, even when it is only for one tune,” Behnke says.

This 12 months marks the seventh Video games, and the second time they’ve been held in Canada. Toronto beforehand acted as host in 2017.

Roberge additionally produced the opening and shutting ceremonies in Ontario.

Prince Harry and his spouse Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are anticipated to be in attendance all through the occasion. Organizers didn’t verify whether or not they may take the stage on the opening ceremonies.

Final 12 months, the pair attended coaching camp in B.C., the place the prince tried out sit-skiing and skeleton in Whistler earlier than heading to Vancouver to attempt wheelchair curling alongside Canadian singer Michael Bublé.

The Video games run till Feb. 16, and can conclude with a closing ceremony at Vancouver’s Rogers Area that may function artists together with nation singer Jelly Roll and Canadian rock band Barenaked Women.