A First for Africa! Cape Town to Host WorldPride 2028

Cape Town has been chosen as the host city for WorldPride 2028; the first city in Africa to make history by holding the international event.

On Friday afternoon, the International Association of Pride Organizers (InterPride) announced that “Cape Town Pride in South Africa has won the bid to host WorldPride in 2028.”

InterPride members voted to determine the host of WorldPride 2028 following the 42nd Annual General Meeting and World Conference, held from 23 to 27 October 2024 in Medellín, Colombia.

The bid for WorldPride 2028 came down to two contenders: Cape Town Pride (South Africa) and Guadalajara Pride (Mexico). Out of 500 eligible voters, 198 ballots were cast, with 53% voting in favour of Cape Town Pride and 44% in favour of Guadalajara Pride, while 3% abstained.

This victory marks another significant achievement for Cape Town, which is set to host the ILGA World Conference, an international gathering of LGBTIQ+ activists, next week. The city also recently submitted a bid to host the Gay Games in 2030.

“We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate the announcement of Cape Town as the host city for WorldPride 2028,” said Michael Gladwin, WorldPride Cape Town Bid Lead.

“A huge thank you to InterPride for their support in making this dream a reality, and best wishes to Guadalajara Pride—your bid was exceptional, and it is a privilege to call you our friends,” he added.

Gladwin emphasised that his team “is wholeheartedly committed to delivering the best Pride event Africa has ever seen, creating a vibrant celebration that honours our diverse cultures and communities.”

He continued: “This is not just a moment for Cape Town but a Pride for all of Africa, and we are dedicated to leaving a lasting legacy. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to our beautiful city and share in this historic celebration together!”

InterPride Co-Presidents Ymania Brown, Hadi Damien, and Rahul Upadhyay congratulated Cape Town Pride for winning the license to host WorldPride in 2028, commenting: “We look forward to supporting them to deliver their bid, which promises to be a strong and impactful WorldPride.”

In a Facebook post, the jubilant Cape Town team exclaimed: “We did it!! Stay tuned for more updates as we prepare for this monumental celebration of love, acceptance, and equality!”

According to InterPride, WorldPride is an event that promotes visibility and awareness of LGBTIQ+ issues globally. It includes parades, festivals, and other activities such as a human rights conference.

The first WorldPride was held in Rome in 2000. The next event is scheduled to take place in Washington from 23 May to 8 June 2025 and it expected to draw over 3 million attendees.