In 2026, thousands of rugby players from around the world will descend on Brisbane, Australia for the Bingham Cup — the world's premier LGBTQ+ rugby tournament. But do you know the story behind the name?
Mark Bingham was a rugby player for the San Francisco Fog and co-founder of the New York Gotham Knights. He was also one of the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001 — one of those who fought back. He was 31 years old.
The tournament that bears his name has been held every two years since 2002, growing from a tribute to a fallen teammate into a global festival of rugby, friendship, and inclusion — hosted in cities like Dublin, Amsterdam, Ottawa, and Rome. In 2026, Brisbane becomes the first Asia-Pacific city to host it.
Alongside the Bingham Cup runs the Amanda Mark Cup — the official women's championship of IGR, named after Mark Bingham's closest friend and lifelong supporter of the sport. First contested in Ottawa in 2022, it returns in Brisbane in 2026 with a growing field and a story equally worth knowing.
To understand the Bingham Cup, you have to understand Mark Bingham. IGR's official podcast, The Third Half, opens its very first episode with exactly that — his rugby career, his character, and why a global tournament was named in his honor. It's the definitive listen before Brisbane.
📸 Photos @gronforsphotography / Ben Gronfors
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