European Olympic Committees -EOC- President Spyros Capralos led a high-level mission to Istanbul to review with Turkish authorities the progress in preparing for the 2027 European Games, the fourth edition of the continental event.

The delegation included EOC Secretary General Carlo Mornati; Chair of the Istanbul 2027 Coordination Commission and Executive Committee member Mihai Covaliu; Executive Committee member Hasan Arat; Presidential Advisor Raffaele Pagnozzi; and CEO Jan Lehmann, in a series of meetings focused on the operational and strategic aspects of the event.

Coordination between the EOC and Turkish institutions

The European representatives were received by Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak; Deputy Minister Hamza Yerlikaya; Director General of Sports Services Veli Ozan Çakır; and President of the Turkish National Olympic Committee -TMOK-, Ahmet Gülüm. Senior officials from the Ministry and TMOK also took part in the meetings.

The agenda addressed key issues of infrastructure, logistics and athlete services, with both sides showing full alignment around the objectives of Istanbul 2027. The support of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was underlined as a decisive factor in consolidating Türkiye’s status as a leading sporting nation.

Istanbul, experience and Olympic ambition

Capralos emphasized Türkiye’s “proven capacity to organize top-level competitions,” underlining that such experience will be crucial to ensuring a high-quality European Games. He also noted that “the celebration of the European Games in Istanbul will serve as preparation and will help move forward towards a future Olympic bid.”

For his part, Minister Aşkın Bak stressed that Istanbul “is a strong candidate for the 2036 Olympic Games,” adding that cooperation with the EOC represents another step in strengthening Türkiye’s international sporting profile.

A consolidated alliance with the EOC

The meetings highlighted the solidity of the partnership between the EOC and Turkish institutions. Both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining close coordination in the coming years to meet deadlines and ensure exemplary organization.

In this context, the 2027 European Games are positioned as a strategic element for Olympic projection: they will act as an operational test platform, a key step in Türkiye’s long-term strategy, a sustainable model through the use of existing infrastructure, and an international showcase that will also provide qualification opportunities for Los Angeles 2028.

The gathering concluded with a shared vision and renewed confidence that Istanbul will host a benchmark edition of the European Games in 2027.