European Games 2027 – the path to the Olympics

The 2028 Olympics are getting closer and the qualification races have already begun.

The first 40 quota places for the European Games 2027 have been allocated. And it is there that Europe's best athletes will compete for Olympic spots.

Back in 2015, at the first-ever European multi-sport event in Baku, it was the European Shooting Confederation that initiated the inclusion of the Games in the Olympic qualification system for shooting sports. Since then, Olympic quota places have been decided at every European Games.

The Confederation remains fully committed to this Olympic mission. The ESC Presidium established a dedicated working group for the preparation of the European Games 2027 at its first meeting in January 2026. It is led by ESC Vice-President Vessela Letcheva – an Olympic medallist, experienced sports manager, and leader in international sport structures who knows exactly what it takes to deliver a successful sporting event.

Behind this moment – shooting sport was officially included in the European Games 2027 programme back on 28 February 2025, at the EOC meeting in Frankfurt am Main. That was the result of close cooperation between the EOC and the European Shooting Confederation, and the undeniable popularity of our sport at the 2023 Games in Kraków. ESC President Alexander Ratner, who attended the meeting, personally thanked EOC President Spyros Capralos for the decision.

And the organisational groundwork is also moving forward. Just recently, the EOC Executive Committee held its first meeting of 2026. EOC President Spyros Capralos, alongside key representatives of the host city and Turkish authorities, signed an amendment to the Host City Contract – officially adding the Istanbul 2027 Organising Committee to the agreement.

The ESC is preparing more big news about the European Games. We will be ready to share it very soon. Stay tuned and don't miss it!

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