About The Games

    Welcome to the official website of the XX Australian Deaf Games to be held on the Sunshine Coast Queensland in 2026. Deaf Sports Australia is proud and thrilled to host the 2026 Australian Deaf Games – a favourite event on the calendar of Australia’s Deaf Community and her Pacific neighbours.

    The Australian Deaf Games is the pinnacle multi-sport event for Deaf people in Australia involving up to twenty (20) sports and attracting more than 1300 competitors and participants from all over Australia and neighbouring Pacific nations.

    All athletes, most officials and most visitors are Deaf or hard of hearing.

    The Games gives Deaf and hard of hearing people an opportunity to be exposed to a national competition format that promotes the development of Deaf sport. It provides:

    • Opportunities for social and elite competition
    • Encouragement of sporting involvement and its benefits to long term health and well-being
    • An environment that promotes a positive lifestyle balanced with social outcomes and sporting opportunities
    • An effective selection process for individuals and teams to be selected to represent Australia at International Deaf events.

    The essence of the Games is “Achieving Sunshine Moments Together”.

    In November 2021, Deaf Sport Australia agreed to a change to hold our Games every two years instead of every four years. The inaugural Oceania Deaf Games will be held in 2024. As we have moved our 2022 Games to 2024 (postponed because of COVID), we have merged the Australian Deaf Games with the Oceania Deaf Games for this occasion. The Oceania Deaf Games will be a partnership with Deaf Sport New Zealand.

    • 2024 – Australian Deaf Games & Oceania Deaf Games
    • 2026 – Australian Deaf Games
    • 2028 – Oceania Deaf Games

    HISTORY

    The Australian Deaf Games is a unique, four-yearly event controlled and managed by Deaf Sports Australia via a State-based Games Organising Committee. It is one of the oldest ongoing Deaf sporting events in the world.

    The origins of interstate Deaf sport competitions in Australia can be traced back to 1895 when the Victorian Deaf cricket team travelled to South Australia for a friendly Deaf cricket match.

    The first “Deaf Sports Carnivals” were held as early as 1911 and continued regularly until the Games in its current format began in Sydney in 1964. Since then, the Games have been held every 3-4 years, with the predecessor to the 2022/ 2024 Games being held in January 2018, in Albury and Wodonga.

    The 2024 Games will celebrate 60 years since the first Australian Deaf Games in 1964. In addition, the Games will highlight 70 years since Deaf Sports Australia was formed. A wonderful opportunity to celebrate the first Games and deaf sport history.

    MORE THAN JUST SPORT

    Whilst sport is clearly core, the Australian Deaf Games also constitutes a major social and cultural festival for the whole Deaf community. It provides a unique blend of social activities matched with a vast list of sporting events that together cater for a diversity of Deaf community needs.

    From humble beginnings in 1911 the event continues to grow and broaden in its appeal.

    2026 Australian Deaf Games

    The 2026 Australian Deaf Games is being centred in the vibrant Sunshine Coast region of Queensland, utilising the many world-class sporting venues located throughout the area. Deaf Sports Australia is very pleased that the Queensland Government and the Sunshine Coast City Council have committed to supporting the Games.

    The Sunshine Coast will be the “must be at” event for Australia’s Deaf and hard of hearing community in 2026, providing a unique opportunity for everyone within and connected with the community to network, meet new people, celebrate with friends and colleagues, compete, and be inspired.

    With up to 20 different sporting competitions and a wide variety of events that celebrate and showcase Deaf culture, the 2026 Games promises to be the biggest Deaf community event on the Sunshine Coast history and the biggest Games ever! Over 1,300 Deaf and hard of hearing people and up to 150 volunteers are set to join in the festivities.

    A variety of sports are being played, including basketball, futsal, touch football, netball, swimming, athletics, rugby 7’s, table tennis, tennis and golf and new sports such as sailing and mountain bikes.

    For more information about the Sunshine Coast, click here.