The final visit of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) Coordination Commission to Taranto 2026 took place in the Italian city, just 40 days before the Opening Ceremony of the Mediterranean Games.

The members of the Coordination Commission and a technical group of experts, ICMG commissions Presidents and members, led by ICMG Secretary General Iakovos Filippousis and the Athletes Commission President and ExCo member Saso Bertoncelj, visited the Erasmo Iacovone Stadium and the Torre d’Ayala Aquatic Centre.

During the meetings, the delivery timelines for the competition venues were reviewed. The deadlines remain extremely tight, and the ICMG experts issued strong recommendations to the venues constructors and organising committee, in order to ensure that all commitments agreed upon with the Organising Committee, as well as the local and national authorities, are fully respected. The Commission also expressed serious concerns for the progress of the works in case of possible unforeseen delays, particularly those that could arise from the current weather conditions.

The Organising Committee announced that the Aquatics Centre will be ready on 30 July, instead of 15 July as originally agreed. However, it committed to staging a test event on 8 and 9 August to verify the smooth operation of the venue and ensure the compatibility of all technological systems.

The Erasmo Iacovone Stadium will be handed over on 1 August for the preparations of the Opening Ceremony and, from 8 August, will be fully accessible and operational to all stakeholders involved in the event.

Accommodation arrangements for the athletes were also discussed. The “Aroya” cruise ship, which will serve as the main athletes’ village, will be docked in Taranto as of 16 August, while the second vessel, MS Romantica, will arrive at the Taranto Naval Base on 17 August. The Mediterranean Games Village will officially open at 06:00 on 18 August and will close at 20:00 on 5 September.

Medical services, the volunteers programme, and workforce readiness were also key topics of discussion. A total of 3,000 volunteers have already been accredited and are currently undergoing training.

Transport operations were also reviewed, with the first vehicles from a fleet of 300 cars having already been delivered to serve the needs of the Mediterranean Family and the Organising Committee.

Particular attention was given to organisational matters concerning the Opening Ceremony, the security measures that will be implemented, and the hospitality arrangements for representatives of the Mediterranean sports movement.

Finally, following strong recommendations from the ICMG, the Organising Committee undertook the commitment to establish, within the next two weeks, the Main Operations Centre (MOC), which will be responsible for decision-making in the event of emergencies and for overall crisis management during the Games.