Albania's Korçë competes for title of “European City of Sport 2026”

The city of Korçë, Albania, is in the running for the title of “European City of Sport 2026.”

The Mayor of Korçë, Sotiraq Filo, the President of the Albanian National Olympic Committee, Fidel Ylli, and the Deputy Minister of Sports, Endrit Hoxha, welcomed to Korçë a delegation from ACES Europe, a non-profit organization based in Brussels, which each year awards the recognitions of European Capital, City, Community, and Town of Sport, CE Report quotes ATA.

In a social media post, Filo said that “the ACES Europe delegation closely inspected the sports infrastructure and followed our presentation on our tradition and vision for sport.”

“Korçë is a city with a rich sporting tradition and modern infrastructure that is expanding through major projects, from the reconstruction of the Sports Palace to the construction of the new stadium. We see sport as part of everyday life, supporting both professional teams and grassroots sport, youth academies, and amateur activities,” Filo emphasized.

According to him, this application is a commitment to further strengthen the role of sport in education, health, and socialization.

“I am convinced that Korçë deserves this recognition and I believe that 2026 will find our city as the ‘European City of Sport,’” said Filo.

This title is also expected to have a major impact on promoting the city, as many sporting events will be held.