Istanbul confirmed as host of the 2027 European Games at EOC Assembly. EOC

The European Olympic Committee (EOC) held its highest deliberative body in Bucharest, where it confirmed Istanbul as the host city of the 2027 European Games, launched the consideration of sites for 2031 and confirmed Brasov as the host of the Winter EYOF and Lignano Sabbiadoro as the host of the Summer EYOF in 2027.

"We are delighted to have received the support of the entire European Olympic family to host the next European Games in Istanbul," said EOC President Spyros Capralos at the 53rd General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in Bucharest, Romania.

Following a presentation to the highest deliberative body, it was confirmed thatIstanbul will host the 2027 European Games, fulfilling the commitment made in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed three weeks ago by EOC President Spyros Capralos, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Turkish Olympic Committee Vice-President Kazım li Kiremitcioglu.

The assembly finally ratified the agreement reached in mid-May, laying the groundwork for the host city, which is mainly in Asia, although part of it is in Europe.

Turkish officials plan to organise the Games following the model used byKrakow and Małopolska in Poland for the 2023 edition, using only existing venues to ensure the event is cost-effective and sustainable. With only three years to prepare, this method is even more critical for Istanbul.



The success of the 2023 Games has created a financial legacy, allowing a €3 million ($3.2 million) investment in European National Olympic Committees to benefit athletes. A recent Deloitte study found that the fourth edition in Krakow-Małopolska was the most cost-effective edition of the Games, which were previously held in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2015 and Minsk, Belarus in 2019.

"We are delighted to have the support of the entire European Olympic family to organise the next European Games in Istanbul," said Capralos, the Greek who heads the EOC.

"With the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Turkish NOC, the EOC has found the perfect partners to deliver a European Games that will captivate the host city, the host country, Europe and indeed the world."

Commenting on X, İmamoglu said: "This morning we presented our strategy and preparations for the Istanbul 2027 European Games at the European Olympic Committee General Assembly. We were very happy on behalf of Istanbul that the delegates of the Olympic Committee followed us with enthusiasm and approved our presentation".



"I shared our belief that Istanbul, at the crossroads of East and West, embodies the Olympic spirit and unites cultures through sport," concluded the Mayor of the Turkish metropolis, which has a population of over 15 million (the size of London, Paris, Madrid and Berlin combined).

İmamoglu has announced Turkey's intention to bid for the 2036 Olympic Games, and the European Games will serve as a stepping stone towards that goal, joining a long list of countries, including Chile, Qatar, Indonesia, Poland and India, that have shown renewed interest in the great sporting event.

Although there is no set timetable, International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials have said they do not intend to select the next Olympic host until "2026 or 2027" at the earliest, and the number of interested candidates is currently in the "double digits".

He wrote on X, "We also discussed Istanbul's bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games with IOC President Thomas Bach. Istanbul, the most breathtaking city in the world, is ready to embrace the Olympic spirit in 2036."



The EOC also confirmed on Friday that Brasov, Romania will host the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) and Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy will host the Summer EYOF in 2027.

In addition, President Capralos focused on the significant strengthening of the EOC's alignment with the Strategic Agenda 2030 following the appointment of Dr. Jan Lehmann and the ongoing work of the EOC Office in the EU and the EOC Commissions and their Presidents.

On Thursday, the opening day of the General Assembly, EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi received the Order of Merit for his outstanding services to sport.

Voting also took place for the ninth edition of the Piotr Nurowski Winter Award, which honours the best young European athlete between the ages of 14 and 18. 

Before the first winners were announced, the Janez Kocjancic trophy, awarded to the best male and female athletes at the European Games, was presented.



In addition to the speeches by President Capralos and President Bach, the General Assembly heard a number of detailed presentations. Reports were heard from the EOC Treasurer and Executive Director, the Association of National Olympic Committees and the International Olympic Committee. The Paris 2024 and Milan-Cortina 2026Organising Committees also presented their updates, providing a detailed overview of the ongoing preparations for these events.

In addition, each of the EOC Commissions had the opportunity to present their progress and projects, covering a wide range of topics crucial to the Olympic Movement. 

Special sessions were also held on artificial intelligence applied to sport, exploring how new technologies can improve sports performance and event management, and highlighting the importance of innovation in sport.