A Pride House will be staged in the heart of Vancouver’s Davie Village from June 26th to July 5th for the final ten days of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The World Cup is being hosted in various Canadian cities including Vancouver where the final match will be played on Sunday, July 5th.

Dean Nelson, founder of Pride House at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, is working to engage various LGBT sports, arts and community groups to be part of the excitement of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “During the 2010 Olympics, when we had created Pride House, it was incredible to see so many groups come together under the umbrella of Pride House to participate openly and authentically at the games. We are hopeful that we will be able to bring some of that energy to the heart of Vancouver’s Davie Village this summer as the city hosts the grand finale of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup,” explains Pride House founder, Dean Nelson. “We know and see that there is still so much work to be done, within sports, to make the locker room and playing fields safer for our athletes and fans.”

Lou Englefield, director of Pride Sports UK and producer of the London 2012 Olympic Summer Games Pride House, goes on to explain the importance and visibility of Pride House in Vancouver. “Women’s football is often forgotten in the campaign against LGBTQphobia and we assume women’s sport is a safe place for all. There is still work to be done around the world, however, to ensure that LGBTQ women are welcomed and celebrated in the women’s game. Pride House is a concept which contributes to this effort by ensuring that LGBTQ people have a place and can be visible at world class events. We are delighted that Vancouver will be hosting a Pride House at this year’s WWC; the first Pride House at a major women’s tournament.”

Pride House Vancouver will be located within the heart of Vancouver’s gay village. The organizers are working with a local business owner to create a fresh, new and exciting space within the West end of Vancouver. Organizers anticipate having approximately 70 hours of programming over the ten days, and are now accepting programming ideas and talent as well as sponsor/donor opportunities.