EOCThe Istanbul 2027 European Games will bring together two major ambitions for Europe’s athletes: competing for continental medals and making progress towards Los Angeles 2028. The event is expected to welcome 7,322 athletes across 26 sports, with 334 medal events. Established stars and emerging talents will share the same ambition: turning years of preparation into a performance to remember.
The Olympic connection will be a major part of the appeal. Of the 26 sports planned, 22 feature on the Los Angeles 2028 programme and 21 will be linked to its qualification process. With 122 Olympic quota places envisaged, Istanbul will offer opportunities that could shape an athlete’s career. For fans, there will be the added excitement of watching competitors move closer to their next big goal.
Women are expected to account for 51% of participants, with men making up 49%. That balance will also be reflected in the programme, which includes 153 women’s events, 148 men’s events and 33 mixed events. The mixed competitions will add another dimension to the Games, bringing women and men together to compete for a shared place on the podium.
Athletics will have the largest number of competitors, with 1,800 athletes expected. Aquatics will follow with 570, fencing with 460 and gymnastics with 432. From races and jumps to fencing bouts and gymnastics routines, the programme will take spectators from speed to precision, and from endurance to body control. These different sporting challenges will make every day a chance to discover something new.
Combat sports will also have a strong presence. Boxing and wrestling are each expected to feature 400 athletes, alongside 248 in taekwondo and 200 in judo. Karate, kickboxing and muaythai will add to the range of techniques and styles on display. The pace of rugby sevens and 3×3 basketball will bring another kind of intensity, alongside sports such as climbing, squash and padel. There will be plenty of reasons to follow familiar favourites and give something different a try.
To host all this action, the organisers are planning 18 venues: nine existing, six temporary and three newly built. Istanbul will combine established facilities with spaces prepared for the occasion, bringing competition to different settings across the city.
Istanbul 2027 will bring together athletes looking to cement their place among the best and those hoping to make their breakthrough. Across 334 medal events, there will be countless stories to follow, from an anticipated victory to the arrival of an unexpected new contender. For some athletes, these Games will be the season’s ultimate goal. For others, they will be the moment Los Angeles 2028 begins to feel much closer.