Gay rugby's Bingham Cup tournament to be held in Ottawa in 2020

The Bingham Cup - the major international tournament for gay and inclusive rugby teams worldwide - will be held in Ottawa, Canada, in 2020.

This will be the first Bingham Cup to be played in Canada and host club Ottawa Wolves are preparing to welcome upwards of 70 teams from all five continents of the world to the nation's capital.

International Gay Rugby (IGR) awarded its flagship tournament to Ottawa following a members' vote after the only other bid in the process, from Huarpes in Argentina, was withdrawn.

Back in September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his support for the tournament to be awarded to the Wolves.

IGR chair Ben Owen said: "The international gay rugby community is extremely excited that the Bingham Cup will be held in Canada for the first time.

"It's a country with a growing rugby community and a proud reputation of openness towards the LGBT+ community.

"The Ottawa Wolves are one of IGR's most active and successful clubs, having competed in every Bingham Cup since their creation, including the first women's competition at the Bingham Cup Amsterdam 2018.

"This vote reflects the excellence of their bid and our confidence that they will deliver an outstanding rugby tournament with a legacy that lasts long after the final whistle is blown, both in Canada and amongst the IGR community."

The Bingham Cup will celebrate its 10th edition in 2020. It is now one of the largest 15-a-side rugby tournaments in the world.

The tournament is named after Mark Bingham, a member of the San Francisco Fog team who died on United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.

Mark is credited as one of the passengers who tackled the terrorists on-board, preventing the aircraft from reaching the hijackers' intended target.

The Bingham Cup is held in honour of Mark's memory and challenges stereotypes and perceptions of the LGBT+ community.