The EOC Coordination Commission (CoCom) for the 4th European Games in 2027, Chaired by EOC Executive Committee member and National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Romania President Mihai Covaliu, has successfully concluded its first two-day meeting in Istanbul.

The formal meeting was attended by representatives of all stakeholders who will contribute to the organisation of the European Games, including EOC President Spyros Capralos, the EOC Secretary General Carlo Mornati, the Republic of Türkiye’s Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, the Acting Mayor of Istanbul Mr Nuri Aslan, the NOC of Türkiye President Ahmet Gülüm, and the Istanbul 2027 European Games Organising Committee President Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan Cakir.

Members of the EOC CoCom received a positive update on the overall status of preparations, as Istanbul prepares to welcome Europe’s best athletes at the continent’s biggest multi-sport event next year.

They also discussed the budget, the European Games masterplan, the impressive infrastructure offered by Istanbul, and the sports programme which will offer athletes the chance to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and will be confirmed later in 2026.

A visit to sports venues around Istanbul and the Athletes’ Villages was conducted today, on 15 January.

President Capralos expressed his appreciation to all who contributed to a successful visit. “This was an encouraging visit to Istanbul, a great sporting city which we have seen is in a great position to build on the success of Kraków-Małopolska 2023 and host the best-ever European Games,” he said.

“I would like to thank our friends from the Turkish Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the NOC of Türkiye and the Istanbul 2027 Organising Committee for welcoming us with such warmth this week, and Chair Covaliu and all the members of the CoCom for their contributions and insights.”

Minister Bak emphasised his confidence in Istanbul 2027’s ability to inspire Europe: “I firmly believe that the 2027 Istanbul European Games will showcase the unifying power of sport, Europe’s shared values, and the Olympic ideals in this extraordinary city with maximum impact.

“The 2027 Istanbul European Games will be more than just a sporting event; it will be a benchmark event that injects new dynamism into the European sporting movement, uniting sport with culture, and city life with Olympic values.”

Turkish NOC President Gülüm highlighted Turkiye’s hosting capabilities and history of welcoming major sports events to Istanbul. “This will not simply be another edition of the European Games. It will be a moment where all of Europe clearly sees Türkiye’s organizational capacity, its sporting infrastructure, and its ability to deliver major multi-sport events at the highest international standards. Istanbul is ready to demonstrate that the European Games are not only a competition, but a statement — a modern definition of what European sport stands for: unity, excellence, diversity, and ambition” he said.