We study the reactions γγ → π 0 π 0 , π + π − , K 0K 0 , K + K − , η η and π 0 η based on a chiral Lagrangian with dynamical light vector mesons as formulated within the hadrogenesis conjecture. At present our chiral Lagrangian contains 5 unknown parameters that are relevant for the photon fusion reactions. They parameterize the strength of interaction terms involving two vector meson fields. These parameters are fitted to photon fusion data γγ → π 0 π 0 , π + π − , π 0 η and to the decay η → π 0 γγ. In order to derive gauge invariant reaction amplitudes in the resonance region constraints from maximal analyticity and exac t coupled-channel unitarity are used. Our results are in good agreement with the existing experimental data from threshold up to about 0.9 GeV for the two-pion final states. The a 0 meson in the π 0 η channel is dynamically generated and an accurate reproduction of the γγ → π 0 η data is achieved up to 1.2 GeV. Based on our parameter sets we predict the γγ → K 0K 0 , K + K − , η η cross sections.