Algarve boroughs will host the fourth edition in 2027
Portimão and Lagoa have revealed their ambitious plan to be the “best hosts ever” of the Mediterranean Beach Games in 2027.
The contract that officialised the two Algarve municipalities as hosts was signed on Friday (February 16) by the president of the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (ICMG), Davide Tizzano; the mayor of Portimão, Isilda Gomes; the mayor of Lagoa, Luís Encarnação; and the secretary-general of Portugal’s Olympic Committee, José Manuel Araújo.
The 2027 Mediterranean Beach Games will be the “largest multisport event” that has ever been hosted in Portugal, said José Manuel Araújo, thanking the two boroughs for accepting the challenge of hosting it. “This is a regional challenge with a national ambition and international projection,” he added.
Davide Tizzano said he is “sure that the 2027 edition in Portimão and Lagoa will be the best, because there is passion, competence, strong federations offering support and the location is wonderful,” highlighting the “good food and great hospitality” offered by the two boroughs.
Both Isilda Gomes and Luís Encarnação are also optimistic about the high bar that has been set. Encarnação stressed that “it is important, through sports, to bring people to our territories and show them our welcoming ability,” while Gomes is looking forward to the opportunity to “promote Portugal” on the back of the municipalities’ “excellent hotels, beaches and river.”
The 2027 Mediterranean Beach Games will take place between September 11 and 18, bringing athletes from the 26 National Olympic Committees that make up the ICMG to the Algarve to compete in the sports of beach handball, canoeing, beach football, karate, wrestling, swimming, rowing, beach tennis, sailing and beach volleyball. Praia da Rocha and Praia de Alvor in Portimão, Praia Grande in Ferragudo, Lagoa and the Arade River which separates the two boroughs have been confirmed as the ‘venues’ for the sporting events.
The three previous editions were held in Pescara, Italy (2015), Patras, Greece (2019) and Heraklion, Greece (2023).
michael.bruxo@portugalresident.com
