Surf’s up in Puerto Rico! Helping smaller nations host world-class sporting events

When it comes to major sporting events, it is often the same global states that end up with the hosting rights. The Summer Olympic Games has been hosted by the United States four times (1904, 1932, 1984 and 1996), soon to become a fifth with the Los Angeles 2028 Games; and cities such as London, Paris, Tokyo, regularly win high-end sporting events and welcome teams from around the world. Meanwhile, many smaller markets get continually left out of the conversation.

One place that is not synonymous as a hub for international sporting competitions is the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. However, the small Caribbean Island, a legal territory of the United States, recently held the 2024 International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games,1 as well as the Olympic qualifier for the Paris 2024 games2. The event took place in a small town called Arecibo on the North shore of the island and ran from February 22 to March 3, 2024.

This article tells the story behind the organization of 2024 World Surfing Games and identifies some key points to help smaller nations bid for and host world-class sporting events

• Background: after the storm
• The World Surfing Games & ISA Hosting Agreement
• Establishing a corporate structure
• Assembling the board
• Financing and event planning
• Benefits for Puerto Rico
• Key points for hosting a world-class sports event