European Games
The European Games are a continental multi-sport event for European athletes, organized by the European Olympic Committees and first held in 2015.
National Olympic Committee: A national body recognized by the International Olympic Committee to represent its country in the Olympic Movement. Each participating country is represented through its national Olympic committee.
2015 European Games: The inaugural European Games, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 12 to 28 June 2015. Baku hosted the first edition and established the event’s initial scale.
Olympic Games: An international multi-sport event held in alternating Summer and Winter editions under the International Olympic Committee. The European Games are regional in scope and organized by a different Olympic body.
European Games sports programme: The set of sports and disciplines included in a particular edition of the European Games. Frequent programme changes affect which athletes and sports gain visibility.
Multi-sport event: A competition featuring multiple sports, often organized around national or regional teams. The European Games belong to this broader event format.
Baku: The capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, situated on the Caspian Sea. Its selection as host made Azerbaijan the first country to stage the Games.
European Championships: The highest-level continental championships in individual sports, generally held separately by each sport’s governing body. Unlike the Games, these championships are usually organized sport by sport.
Sports mega-event: A large-scale sporting event with substantial organizational, economic, and public impact. The Games raise familiar questions about the costs and legacies of major events.
European Games qualification: The sport-specific processes that determine which athletes and teams can compete at the European Games. Qualification routes vary by sport and sometimes connect the event to Olympic selection.
2023 European Games: The third European Games, held in Kraków and the Małopolska region of Poland in 2023. This edition expanded the event’s role in European championship competition.