PRESS RELEASE                                                                                                                             

July 28, 2025

Birmingham, Ala. — The Birmingham 2025 World Police & Fire Games (WPFG) concluded Sunday, July 6, after ten days of competition, camaraderie, and celebration among the global first-responder community. Beyond the athletic achievements and cultural exchange, the Games delivered a significant boost to the local economy - drawing tens of thousands of visitors, filling hotels, and energizing local businesses. The event also positioned the Birmingham region on the global stage as a premier host for international sporting events, showcasing its hospitality, infrastructure, and vibrance to a worldwide audience.

Standout Statistics:

• 8,750 registrants from 72 countries around the world descended upon the Magic City for 10 days of competition from June 27 – July 6, 2025. This was a 20-percent increase in registrants from the 2023 Winnipeg, Canada Games and the 2022 Rotterdam, Netherlands Games.
• Athletes competed in 65 sports at 30 different venues across Greater Birmingham.
• Top-attending countries were: United States (2,670 athletes), Canada (1,020), Brazil (925), and India (555).
• 644 registrants hailed from Alabama bringing home 118 medals^[i].

“Having these Games come to the City of Birmingham and seeing firefighters and police officers from all over the world serves as a reminder that these Games not only highlight the high level of competition but also showcase the high level of camaraderie between first responders,” said Birmingham Fire & Rescue Chief, Cory Moon. “Being a part of these Games has been the honor of a lifetime.”

Economic Boost for Local Businesses

The 2025 Games delivered a meaningful economic boost to Birmingham’s hospitality and retail sectors over the event’s 10-day span.

Hotel occupancy surged during what is typically a slower period for the city’s lodging industry. Downtown hotels averaged 77% occupancy, a 42% year-over-year increase, while hotels across the Birmingham metropolitan area averaged 72% occupancy, reflecting a 21% increase.

Though final spending and economic impact figures are still being calculated, businesses across Greater Birmingham reported increased foot traffic, sales, and brand visibility. Among those seeing a notable uptick were Stivers Ford, Taco Mama, Eugene’s Hot Chicken, Mountain High Outfitters, Soho Social, and Paramount. Hotels, short-term rentals, restaurants, and transportation services also experienced heightened demand throughout the event.

“We’ve had people coming in here eating all of our food. Last night we ran out of meat and had to close an hour early!,” said the hostess at one of WPFG’s Proud Host restaurants, Creekside BBQ in Pelham.

Community Engagement & Recruitment Success

Various activations gave first responder communities and Alabama residents a preview of the Games, building momentum and sparking interest in participating as athletes and volunteers.

• Global Ambassador Program: The Birmingham 2025 WPFG Host Committee established the inaugural Global Ambassador program early in planning to help with athlete recruitment and increase brand recognition. The program yielded 230 ambassadors (new, former, and current WPFG athletes) from across 26 countries. 
• BHM 2025 Road Shows: WPFG embarked on a statewide road trip to engage with public safety agencies and raise awareness about the Games. Through these events, not only did WPFG secure athlete registrations but also received commitments from several cities to sponsor the cost of athlete registration, which removed financial barriers for many competitors.
• Chick-fil-A “First Responder Appreciation” Series: WPFG teamed up with Chick-fil-A across Alabama to produce “First Responder Appreciation” events, where the community could meet local first responders at Chick-fil-A, try out WPFG events like axe throwing and cornhole, and register to volunteer at the 2025 Games.
• BHM Shuttlesworth Welcome Campaign: A six-week welcome campaign at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport (elevator graphics, pole wraps, floor decals, and digital screens) was implemented for increased branding and to create a touchpoint for arriving athletes and guests. 

Global Media Spotlight

Media coverage of the 2025 World Police & Fire Games reached unprecedented levels, driven by strategic outreach and timely regional developments:

• Targeted National & Regional Outreach: WPFG developed original, market-specific content and secured a steady stream of broadcast and online coverage across major U.S. cities, capturing media hits in Tennessee, Florida, and Boston, doubling athlete registration from Florida and tripling registration from Tennessee.
• Alabama-Focused Recruitment Campaigns: WPFG partnered with Governor Kay Ivey for video messages and press conferences that were amplified through statewide media, which helped increase Alabama first responder registration by over 500%, far exceeding recruitment goals.
• Volunteer Recruitment Success: WPFG ran four consecutive weeks of earned media campaigns focused on volunteer recruitment, which helped quadruple the number of volunteers to more than 1,500, ensuring strong operational support throughout the 10 days of events.
• Wall-to-Wall Local News Coverage: In the weeks leading up to and throughout the Games, WPFG prepared unique athlete stories for each journalist, rotating local, national, and international spotlights. Every major local news network aired original content on nearly every news broadcast for three weeks straight, securing more than 800 earned TV and radio hits.
• National Spotlight via ESPN: ESPN spent two days on-site filming Pickleball, Jiu Jitsu, and Boxing, and reported live from the Firefighter Challenge as part of its “50 States in 50 Days” series. The coverage was amplified by local media outlets, which reinforced the enormity of the event, garnering millions of impressions.
• International Reach: Media outlets from Canada, France, Czechia, India, Indonesia, and others broadcasted highlights, interviews, and cultural features, which elevated Birmingham’s profile as a premier global host city.
• Earned Media Impact: Total earned media coverage reached into the thousands of placements, spanning broadcast, print, and digital platforms.

Social Media & Digital Performance

• Over 100 posts during the Games directly reached 3.88 million views across Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
• Factoring in the views on shared and tagged content, BHM 2025 content reached an estimated 13 million.
• Content posted to the BHM 2025 accounts was shared roughly 8,000 times, received roughly 3,000 comments, and nearly 2,000 mentions.
• Grew the following on BHM 2025 accounts by over 5,000 people, to reach almost 20,000 subscribers.

• The BHM2025.com website saw over 356,000 visitors during the Games from 142 countries.
• 63% of website visitors were engaged for an average session duration of five minutes.

A Legacy of Unity & Service

Beyond the medals and records, the 2025 World Police & Fire Games fostered a spirit of unity among first responders worldwide. “This wasn’t just a competition - it was a celebration of shared purpose,” said DJ Mackovets, CEO of the Birmingham 2025 WPFG. “Birmingham values hospitality and a deep respect for service, and that was on full display throughout the Games.”

As Birmingham leaders reflect on this momentous event, plans are already in progress to build on its legacy as a premiere global event destination. Meanwhile, the World Police & Fire Games torch has officially been passed to Perth, Australia, host of the 2027 Games, followed by Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, which will welcome the Games in 2029.

For media inquiries, please contact Paige Bagby, Marketing Manager, 2025 World Police & Fire Games, pbagby@bhm2025.com. 

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About the World Police & Fire Games

Founded in 1985, the World Police & Fire Games are a biennial event that strives to promote physical fitness, wellness, professional development, and camaraderie among first responders globally. The event is organized by the California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF) and has grown to become one of the largest athletic events in the world. The 2025 World Police & Fire Games were held June 27-July 6 in Birmingham, Alabama. The 2027 Games will be held in Perth, Australia, and the 2029 Games in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. For more information, please visit www.bhm2025.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X at @BHM2025.

[i] Some competition outcomes are still under review by the CPAF and will be finalized in the coming weeks. This is the medal count as of July 16, 2025.