Boccia part of Liverpool 2027 groundbreaking event

Great Britain’s boccia stars are today welcoming the announcement that Liverpool is set to make history from 2-8 May 2027 as it hosts a new groundbreaking Inclusive Sport & Culture Festival (ISCF). The event - first-of-its-kind in the UK - will bring together Paralympic athletes with a world class disabled-led arts and culture programme on a shared world stage.

Taking over the city’s iconic waterfront — including the M&S Bank Arena and exhibition centre at the Liverpool Experience Campus, the neighbouring Salthouse and Albert Docks, and Pier Head - the week-long festival will transform the city into a vibrant hub of energy, creativity and elite performance, redefining how sport and culture can be experienced together.

david smith obe in liverpool ahead of the 2018 world championships at exhibition centre

The UK Sport-owned concept will showcase four international sport competitions across Boccia, Para Athletics, Wheelchair Rugby and Paracanoe, delivered in partnership with Boccia UK, UK Athletics, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby and Paddle UK, alongside a groundbreaking arts and cultural programme, commissioned by Arts Council England, delivered by Culture Liverpool and led by deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists.  

The four sports at the heart of the festival will each bring their own extraordinary spectacle. The highly tactical and precision-based World Boccia Cup, which counts towards Paralympic qualification, will be held at the Exhibition Centre from Monday 3 to Friday 7 May.

European Champion Sally Kidson said:

“It’s absolutely fantastic to not only be able to host an international event in the UK, but a World Cup and a multi-sport event. Hosting high-level events in the UK is so important to raise awareness of boccia, as we often get little public visibility and even less public understanding of the sport at its highest level. It will be amazing to compete alongside our UK Sport colleagues from other sports and hopefully this event will further our progression in making boccia more well-known in the UK and riding the wave of shining a spotlight on disability awareness in the UK.”

european champion sally kidson welcomes more visibility for paralympic athletes

Paralympic gold medallist Stephen McGuire is looking forward to competing in Liverpool::

“Liverpool is one of the great sporting cities in the UK, with such a proud history of hosting major events and passionate support from local fans. Bringing disability sport to a city like Liverpool is hugely important for visibility and inspiration because it gives people the opportunity to experience Boccia and other Paralympic sport at the highest level. Events like this help continue growing awareness of disability sport while showing what we do. With so many family members living in Liverpool this event will be truly special.”

stephen mcguire says liverpool event will inspire future generations

And David Smith OBE - who has fond memories of becoming World Champion in Liverpool back in 2018 - said:

“Its great to have Boccia back in Liverpool nine years after the World Championships. Having international competition in the UK is hugely important for sports like Boccia to inspire the next generation and to help the sport gain more publicity.”

At the heart of the festival will be a dynamic Athletes’ and Artists’ Village — a living, breathing space where competitors, creators and audiences come together. It will be more than a venue hub; it will be a shared community celebrating excellence, identity and connection throughout the week.

Taking place just ahead of the LA 2028 Paralympic Games, the Festival will also play a vital role in athlete preparation while elevating the visibility of disabled talent across sport and culture onto a global stage. It will shine a spotlight not only on elite and world class performance, but on the stories, creativity and cultural impact that surround it. 

At its core, the festival is designed to bring sport and culture together as one experience - creating a powerful shared platform that celebrates excellence, creativity and representation for artists and athletes, while driving greater opportunity and long-term social impact. Core funding includes a £2.3m contribution from the National Lottery and a £1m grant from Arts Council England.

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:

“This is an innovative, ground-breaking concept and it’s fantastic to see plans progress and the vision start to come to life.

“We are well-known for our track record of delivering world-class events in Liverpool, and we are set to make history once again with this festival as the first event of its kind in the UK.

“The community we are creating as part of Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival will celebrate excellence, identity, and connection - bringing together athletes, artists, and audiences, in a truly accessible and inclusive way. 

“Together with our partners, we want to redefine how sport and culture can be experienced collectively and amplify visibility and opportunities for people with disabilities throughout our community and beyond.”

Esther Britten, Head of Events and External Affairs at UK Sport: said:

“We’re proud to be bringing this new festival to Liverpool, creating a unique multi-sport platform for world-class Paralympic sport and a bold, disabled-led cultural programme. Providing more competitive opportunities for Paralympic athletes is a key priority for us, and this event has been designed to support athletes on the road to LA 2028, while showcasing the depth of talent this country has to offer.

We’re especially excited to be working alongside Arts Council England for the first time, bringing sport and culture together to celebrate excellence, challenge perceptions and open up new opportunities.

Liverpool is a city known for its energy and creativity, and this event, made possible thanks to National Lottery funding, will leave a lasting impact on how inclusive sport and culture are experienced across the UK."

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said: "Our country is home to brilliant, awe-inspiring world-beating disabled artists and athletes. This major investment will shine a light on their creative and sporting excellence, boosting national pride and inspiring the next generation of outstanding performers, whether that’s in the arts or in sport."

Delivered in partnership with UK Sport, ParalympicsGB, Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council, supported by Liverpool Accommodation BID, the Festival represents a major collaboration across sport, culture and community, with ambitions to create a lasting legacy both locally and nationally. Through moments of joy, pride, energy and togetherness, it will offer audiences a chance to witness history as it happens in one of the world’s most iconic waterfront cities.

For more information & to register your interest for tickets go to: http://iscfestival.co.uk/