The annual EU Sport Forum is the European Commission’s flagship event about sport at the European level.
The latest EU Sport Forum, which took place on April 10-11 in Krakow, Poland, brought together key players in defining the European Union (EU) sport policy. Kraków served as the host city, together with the Małopolska region, for the 2023 European Games. Delegates from European institutions, European and international sport federations, sport national ministries, Olympic committees, grassroots organizations as well as athletes and volunteers discussed a wide range of topics. With a focus on the promotion of a European Sport Model, the role of sport in education and in the context of EU enlargement, artificial Intelligence in sport, and the welfare of athletes. The Forum also provided an opportunity to share insights from the implementation of Erasmus+ Sport actions in view of future developments.
Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, gave the opening speech. The President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), Spyros Capralos, defended the European sport model, stressing the importance of protecting this model against commercial and global pressures in order to preserve its positive societal impact. Micallef and Capralos met alongside the Forum to discuss future collaboration and ways to maximize the Agreement of Cooperation between the EOC and the European Commission, which was renewed during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 through to the end of 2027.
The EU Sport Forum 2025 featured a keynote speech from the President of the International Olympic Committee(IOC), Thomas Bach, delivered by live video link. Bach underscored the importance of the European sport model, described as “a blueprint for sport as a force for good in society,” and thanked the European partners for their collaboration over the past decade. Bach expressed confidence that cooperation will continue with his successor, IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry, who will take office on June 23 (Olympic Day). President Bach also reflected on the success of Paris 2024 and looked ahead to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, which will once again bring the world’s best athletes to Europe.
