2027 Pan American Games Explained

XX Pan American Games
Size:300
Host:Lima, Peru
Nations:41
Events:39 sports
Opening:September 23
Closing:October 7
Torch Label:Cauldron lighter
Stadium:National Stadium of Peru
Previous:2023 Santiago
Next:2031

The 2027 Pan American Games (Spanish; Castilian: Juegos Panamericanos de 2027|links=no), officially the XX Pan American Games (Spanish; Castilian: XX Juegos Panamericanos|links=no) and commonly known as Lima 2027, is an upcoming international multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization. It will be held for the second time in Peru's capital, Lima.

Barranquilla, Colombia was initially announced as the host in August 2021. However, the city was stripped of its hosting rights in January 2024 after the country's Ministry of Sports failed to meet contractual obligation, as well as financial reasons.[1]

Bidding process

The bidding process to determine the host of the 2027 Pan American Games was to begin in January 2021. However, in July 2021, president of Panam Sports Neven Ilic confirmed that the bidding process would be postponed until January 2022. The deadline to submit bids for the event is November 15, 2021.[2]

First selection

Host city election

On August 27, 2021, at an event in Barranquilla, Colombia, it was announced that the city would be the host of the games.[3]

Interested cities

Buenos Aires initially bid for the 2023 Pan American Games, but withdrew their bid for financial reasons. Gerardo Werthein, the president of the Argentine Olympic Committee (COA), stated, "I would like Argentina to present its Olympic candidacy for 2032, but for now, I'm only thinking about [the PanAm Games in] 2027."[4]

On January 14, 2019, the Minister of Sports of Bolivia, Tito Montaño expressed his interest for Bolivia to host the Pan American Games. Although a specific city had not been determined, Montaño stated that a candidate city would have been determined within the coming weeks since the announcement. Bolivia has never submitted a bid for the Pan American Games.[5] [6]

On October 24, 2018, Mayor of Barranquilla Alejandro Char confirmed Barranquilla's interest in the 2023 Pan American Games. After a successful hosting of the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games, Char was inspired to meet with Panam Sports President Neven Ilić Álvarez. After the meeting, Char told reporters, "After this meeting I’m feeling more calm, confident and sure than ever that we can do it ... We are going to do everything in our power to make the advancements to hold the Games that Barranquilla wants and deserves."[7]

Removal of Barranquilla as host city

On January 3, 2024, Barranquilla was stripped of hosting rights by Panam Sports, due to the Colombian national and local authorities headed by the Ministry of Sports failing to meet contractual obligations, as well as failing to arrange the payment corresponding to the rights to hold the competitions before December 31, 2023.[8] Panam Sports have also considered legal action for damages of $8 million caused by the breach of contract.[9]

A few days after Barranquilla was withdrawn, the Colombian Olympic Committee president Ciro Solano; regarding the Asunción bid, accused Paraguayan sport officials of interfering with Barranquilla’s hosting, claiming that, in an interview with AFP, "Paraguay has been insisting on holding the [2027 PanAm] Games since August".[10]

Second selection

Host city election

The new host was confirmed at a virtual Extraordinary General Assembly on March 12, 2024. [11] [12]

Bidding results
CityNOC nameVotes
Lima Perualign=center 28
Asunción Paraguayalign=center 24

Confirmed candidates

Asunción will host the 2025 Junior Pan American Games, and if it had won its bid to replace Barranquilla it would have served as a dress rehearsal for the Games, as well as being the first time Paraguay has hosted the main Pan American Games. As Paraguay is a landlocked country, it was proposed that the surfing events be held in El Salvador, as confirmed by the El Salvador Olympic Committee, making it the first continental Central American country to host a Pan American Games event.[14]

Lima previously hosted the 2019 Pan American Games with success and their bid would reuse infrastructure from those games, in line with sustainability and environmental standards. The current president of Peru, Dina Boluarte announced her support for the bid on 18 January 2024.[16]

Previously interested cities

São Paulo previously hosted the 1963 Pan American Games, and has expressed interest in bidding for the 2031 Pan American Games. Brazil last hosted the Pan American Games in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro.

Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, previously hosted the 2011 Pan American Games. On 16 January 2024, the Mexican Olympic Committee announced they would withdraw their bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics to focus on bidding for the Pan American Games and the Youth Olympic Games.[19]

The Games

Participating National Olympic Committees

All 41 nations of the Pan American Sports Organization are expected to compete.

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Colombia's Barranquilla stripped of 2027 Pan Am Games. Reuters. January 4, 2024.
  2. News: Race for 2027 Pan American Games Postponed . August 7, 2021 . Around the Rings . July 12, 2021.
  3. Web site: Barranquilla confirmed as host of 2027 Pan American Games. Morgan. Liam. 8 August 2021. Inside the Games. Dunsar Media. 27 August 2021.
  4. Web site: Buenos Aires drops out of running for 2023 PanAm Games. April 21, 2017. Reuters. January 22, 2019.
  5. Web site: Bolivia presents candidacy for Pan American Games 2027. January 14, 2019. Emisora Provincial Radio Guamá. January 22, 2019. January 23, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190123010156/http://www.rguama.icrt.cu/en/18973-2/. dead.
  6. Web site: Bolivia declare interest in bidding for 2027 Pan American Games. May 3, 2019. Inside the games. May 3, 2019.
  7. Web site: Barranquilla Wants the 2027 Pan American Games. October 24, 2018. PanamSports. January 22, 2019.
  8. Web site: 2024-01-03 . Oficial: Barranquilla y Colombia pierden sede de Juegos Panamericanos del 2027 . Official: Barranquilla and Colombia lose venue for 2027 Pan American Games. es. 2024-01-03 . El Tiempo . Casa Editorial El Tiempo.
  9. Web site: Barranquilla loses the 2027 Panam Games. Daffunchio Picazo. Raúl. 4 January 2024. Inside the Games. 2024-01-04.
  10. Web site: 2024-01-08. Colombia accuses Paraguay of undermining lost 2027 Pan Am Games as PASO looks for plan B. 2024-01-08 . GamesBids.com.
  11. Web site: 2024-02-02. Asuncion and Lima named only candidates to host 2027 Pan Am Games with winner to be elected next month. 2024-02-02. GamesBids.com.
  12. Web site: 2024-03-12. Lima elected over Asuncion as replacement to host 2027 Pan Am Games. 2024-03-12. GamesBids.com.
  13. Web site: 2024-01-03. ¿Asunción será sede de los Juegos Panamericanos 2027?. Will Asunción host the 2027 Pan American Games?. es. 2024-01-03 . OneFootball.
  14. Web site: 2024-03-07. El Salvador busca ser la subsede de los Juegos Panamericanos 2027. El Salvador seeks to be the sub-host of the 2027 Pan American Games. es. 2024-03-07 . El Salvador Olympic Committee.
  15. News: 2024-01-08. Ante destitución de Barranquilla: Lima postularía para organizar los Juegos Panamericanos 2027. Given the dismissal of Barranquilla: Lima would apply to organize the 2027 Pan American Games. es. 2024-01-09 . El Comercio.
  16. Web site: Peru's president backs bid to host Pan American Games in 2027. Daffunchio Picazo. Raúl. 20 January 2024. Inside the Games. 2024-01-20.
  17. Web site: 2024-01-05. São Paulo vira opção para sediar Pan-Americano de 2027. São Paulo becomes an option to host the 2027 Pan American Games. pt. 2024-01-05. Metrópoles.
  18. Web site: 2024-01-03. Jalisco y Nuevo León levantan la mano para albergar los Juegos Panamericanos del 2027. Jalisco and Nuevo León raise their hands to host the 2027 Pan American Games. es. 2024-01-03 . ESTO.
  19. News: 2024-01-17 . Olympic Games 2036: Mexico withdraws bid to host the summer games . 2024-01-17 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.