Tulsa and Birmingham to Host National Senior Games

The 2027 National Senior Games will be held in Tulsa with the 2029 Games heading to Birmingham, Alabama, the National Senior Games Association announced on Tuesday.

This will be the first time the National Senior Games is held in Tulsa and marks a return to Birmingham after The Games were hosted there in 2017. The biennial competition attracts over 11,500 athletes ages 50 to 100-plus to compete in more than 25 sports over two weeks.

“We’re excited to partner with leaders in Tulsa and Birmingham to bring the National Senior Games to these thriving sports destinations. Our athletes will enjoy the excellent venues, unique attractions, flourishing cultures and easy-to-navigate geography in these cities,” said Susan Hlavacek, NSGA president and chief executive officer. “Interest in senior athletics events is growing in cities across the country and we saw this reflected in a strong host bid cycle.”

Tulsa’s sports résumé includes Ironman, NCAA, PGA, USA Gymnastics, USA Volleyball and more.

“It’s an incredible honor to be chosen to host the 2027 National Senior Games in Tulsa,” said Joel Koester, Tulsa Sports Commission director of sport sales. “A year ahead of Olympic events taking place in Oklahoma City, Tulsa will host one of the largest sporting events in the city’s history, putting Oklahoma on center stage in the sports world for two consecutive years.”

Recent multi-sport events in Birmingham include The World Games 2022 and 2024 Transplant Games of America, with the 2025 World Police and Fire Games on the horizon.

“We could not be more excited to welcome the National Senior Games back to Birmingham in 2029,” said John Oros, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It is such a special event with an important mission, and it left an incredible legacy when we hosted in 2017 — welcoming more than 10,500 participants and generating $38 million in economic impact for Jefferson County. The Greater Birmingham CVB, in partnership with the City of Birmingham and Jefferson County, can’t wait to provide another exceptional experience that leaves an even bigger impact in 2029, and further establishes Birmingham as a premier destination for sports events.”