2026 Mediterranean Games
20th edition of the Mediterranean Games
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The 2026 Mediterranean Games (Italian: Giochi del Mediterraneo 2026), officially known as the XX Mediterranean Games (Italian: XX Giochi del Mediterraneo) and commonly known as Taranto 2026, is an upcoming international multi-sport event in the Mediterranean Games series that is scheduled to be held from 21 August to 3 September 2026 in Taranto, Italy. Taranto was announced as the host city at the ICMG General Assembly in Patras, Greece, on 24 August 2019.
| |
| Host city | Taranto |
|---|---|
| Country | Italy |
| Motto | Embrace The Future[a] |
| Nations | 26 |
| Athletes | 4,000 (expected)[1] |
| Events | 279 in 28 sports |
| Opening | 21 August 2026 |
| Closing | 3 September 2026 |
| Main venue | Stadio Erasmo Iacovone |
| Website | ta2026.com |
The Games were originally set to be held from 13 to 23 June, but were moved to 21 August to 3 September to avoid the peak summer weather, as well as to not clash with any other major sporting events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which would allow more high-level athletes to participate.[2] The event return to its traditional 4-year cycle following the 2021 Mediterranean Games postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bidding process
Candidates
Vote results
Development and preparation
Venues
Venues will be spread across the city of Taranto, its namesake province, and the surrounding region of Apulia. Several venues will be newly built or renovated.[7]
Taranto's main football stadium, Stadio Erasmo Iacovone, received a €63.7 million redevelopment for the Games.[8]
| Venue | City | Events | Capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadio Erasmo Iacovone | Taranto | Ceremonies | 20,049 | Existing, replacement |
| Football (preliminaries and finals) | ||||
| Stadio di atletica Giuseppe Valente | Athletics | 3,000 | New | |
| Magna Grecia Tennis Center | Tennis | 1,000 (center court) | ||
| PalaRicciardi | Fencing | 1,000 | ||
| PalaMazzola | Volleyball (preliminaries and finals) | 5,000 | Existing, renovated | |
| Kickboxing (demonstration) | ||||
| Torre d'Ayala Swimming Stadium | Aquatics (swimming, water polo, finswimming) | 2,000 (indoor pool) 1,000 (outdoor pool) |
New | |
| Taranto Urban Circuit | Road cycling | 3,500 | Temporary | |
| Roller speed skating | ||||
| Triathlon | ||||
| Giardini Peripato | 3x3 basketball | 1,000 | ||
| Baseball5 (demonstration) | TBA | |||
| Parco Cimino | Canoeing | 1,000 | New | |
| Rowing | ||||
| Torpediniere Nautical Center | Sailing | 1,000 | ||
| Salinella Urban Center | Padel | 1,000 | ||
| Skateboarding | 1,000 | |||
| Stadio Franco Fanuzzi | Brindisi | Football (preliminaries) | 7,500 | Existing |
| PalaPentassuglia | Volleyball (men's preliminaries) | 3,534 | ||
| PalaTifo | Castellaneta | Table Tennis | 900 | |
| Pala San Giacomo | Conversano | Handball (women's preliminary) | 4,000 | |
| Nuovo Palazzetto Dello Sport | Crispiano | Archery | 1,000 | New |
| Palazzetto dello Sport | Fasano | Handball (men's and women's) | 2,000 | Existing |
| Stadio Giovanni Paolo II | Francavilla Fontana | Football (preliminaries) | 3,360 | |
| Palatifo e Tenso Struttura | Badminton | 250 | ||
| Grottaglie Sports Hall | Grottaglie | Gymnastics | 900 | |
| Stadio Via del mare | Lecce | Football (preliminaries) | 31,461 | Existing, renovated |
| PalaVentura | Volleyball (women's preliminary) | 1,300 | Existing | |
| Itria Valley | Martina Franca | Road cycling | 3,500 | Temporary |
| PalaWojtyla | Judo | 2,000 | Existing | |
| Karate | ||||
| Wrestling | ||||
| Palasport Giovanni Paolo II | Massafra | Table Tennis | 800 | |
| Taekwondo | ||||
| PalaMontemesola | Montemesola | Bowls | 900 | |
| Horse Club Terra Jonica | San Giorgio Ionico | Equestrian | 1,000 | |
| San Giorgio Ionico Sport Hall | Boxing | 1,000 | New | |
| Weightlifting | 500 | |||
| Palazzetto Albano | Torricella | Shooting | 1,000 600 |
Existing |
Athletes Village
The organising committee decided not to construct a permanent athletes village, and instead chose to have athletes hosted in the Aroya cruise ship docked at the Mar Grande Naval Station. Earlier planning had the intention to dock two cruise ships.[9]
Tickets
The organising committee will offer free admission (with a valid ticket) for several sports, including archery, badminton, bowls, boxing, canoeing, equestrian, judo, karate, padel, road cycling, roller sports, rowing, sailing, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling.[10]
The Games
Sports
27 Olympic sports and disciplines will be contested and also 5 non-Olympic sports, with 5 team sports.[11]
| 2026 Mediterranean Games sports programme |
|---|
|
Demonstration sports
In addition, 2 demonstration sports were held.[12]
Baseball5 (1) () 
Kickboxing (10) ()
Participating nations
All 26 National Olympic Committees who are members of the International Committee of Mediterranean Games are expected to send delegations.
| Participating National Committees |
|---|
|
Calendar
The two demonstration sports, baseball5 and kickboxing, were held before the Games, respectively from 29 July to 1 August,[24] and 31 July to 2 August.[25]
| ● | Opening ceremony | ● | Competitions | ● | Event finals | ● | Closing ceremony |
| August / September 2026 | 20th Thu |
21st Fri |
22nd Sat |
23rd Sun |
24th Mon |
25th Tue |
26th Wed |
27th Thu |
28th Fri |
29th Sat |
30th Sun |
31st Mon |
1st Tue |
2nd Wed |
3rd Thu |
Events | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremonies | ● | ● | N/a | ||||||||||||||
 3x3 basketball
| ● | ● | ● | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Aquatics |  Finswimming
| 9 | 9 | 18 | |||||||||||||
 Swimming
| 9 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 35 | ||||||||||||
 Water polo
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
 Archery
| ● | ● | 5 | 5 | |||||||||||||
 Athletics
| 8 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 2 | 44 | |||||||||||
 Badminton
| ● | 1 | ● | ● | 2 | ● | 2 | 5 | |||||||||
 Bowls
| ● | ● | ● | 12 | 12 | ||||||||||||
 Boxing
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 14 | 14 | ||||||||||
 Canoeing
| ● | ● | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||||
 Cycling
| 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
 Equestrian
| 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
 Fencing
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |||||||||||||
 Football
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| Gymnastics |  Artistic
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 14 | |||||||||||
 Rhythmic
| ● | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
 Handball
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||
 Judo
| 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||||||
 Karate
| 7 | 3 | 10 | ||||||||||||||
 Padel
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 3 | 3 | |||||||||
| Roller sports |  Skateboarding
| ● | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||
 Roller speed skating
| 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
 Rowing
| ● | ● | 4 | 6 | 10 | ||||||||||||
 Sailing
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||
 Shooting
| ● | 2 | ● | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | |||||||
 Table tennis
| ● | ● | 2 | 1 | ● | ● | ● | 2 | 5 | ||||||||
 Taekwondo
| 4 | 4 | 8 | ||||||||||||||
 Tennis
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 3 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||
 Triathlon
| 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
 Volleyball
| ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | 1 | ● | ● | 1 | 2 | |||||
 Weightlifting
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | |||||||||||||
 Wrestling
| ● | 5 | 6 | 6 | 17 | ||||||||||||
| Daily medal events | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 279 | |
| Cumulative total | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 279 | ||
| August / September 2026 | 20th Thu |
21st Fri |
22nd Sat |
23rd Sun |
24th Mon |
25th Tue |
26th Wed |
27th Thu |
28th Fri |
29th Sat |
30th Sun |
31st Mon |
1st Tue |
2nd Wed |
3rd Thu |
N/a | |
Source:[11]
Marketing
Emblem
The emblem for the 2026 Mediterranean Games was unveiled on 14 December 2019 at the Palace of Taranto.[26][27] It was designed by the Istituto Comprensivo Gaetano Salvemini as part of a contest announced in May by the Municipality of Taranto.[27] Resembling the Sailor Monument in the city, the emblem is formed up of two anthropomorphized x's that compose the number 20 written in Roman numerals.[27]
Mascot
The mascot is Ionios, a dolphin carrying a torch. The dolphin is the symbol of Taranto.[28]
Notes
- Only an English motto will be used during the Games. There is no Italian equivalent of the motto adopted.
