The countdown to the 2027 EYOF has officially begun in Lignano.

The countdown to the 2027 EYOF has officially begun in Lignano.

A large crowd of people and friends gathered at the Tenda Bar in Lignano Pineta, alongside local rowing champion Alice Gnatta.

Ronchi dei Legionari, 25 July 2026. On Friday 24 July, the countdown officially began for the 19th summer edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival – EYOF Lignano 2027, which will take place from 24 July to 1 August next year.

The ‘Countdown’ event took place at the Tenda bar in Lignano Pineta, attended by local rowing champion Alice Gnatta, an Olympian with the Fiamme Gialle sports group and gold medallist in the women’s double sculls (alongside Clara Guerra from Verona) at the World Cup in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. This marked Italy’s first-ever gold medal in the women’s double sculls at the World Cup.

Alice, who recalled her early days at the Circolo Canottieri Lignano rowing club, was presented with an award by the mayor, Laura Giorgi, and celebrated by the large crowd in attendance. The mayor noted that this is the first time the summer edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival has been organised twice in the same location: Lignano in 2005 and 2027.

The President of the EYOF 2027 Executive Committee, Giorgio Brandolin, briefly outlined the key figures for the Festival: 9 days of competition, 15 competition venues across 7 municipalities in Friuli Venezia Giulia, 14 sports, 4,500 people expected to attend, including athletes, coaches, officials, the Olympic family, VIPs and the media, 48 participating nations, 1 Olympic Village, 800 volunteers, 70 transport vehicles and 2 official ceremonies: the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony of the Games.

Also present at the event were Eros Bologna, a member of the COE’s EYOF Commission, and Luca Occhialini, president of the Association of Cooperative Credit Banks, Rural and Artisan Banks (Zadruzne Banke) of Friuli Venezia Giulia, an official partner of EYOF Lignano 2027. For Mr Occhialini, the participation of the regional cooperative credit sector in this major international sporting event dedicated to young people represents a continuation of the association’s policy, which reflects the local community and has always been closely linked to families and small and medium-sized enterprises. This is an example of social responsibility that makes us proud.

The event concluded with a countdown led by all those present, including some teachers from the Liceo Artistico Sello in Udine – whose students created the official mascot for the Lignano 2027 Games, the lizard Doro – and representatives of the ‘Autismo’ project foundation and the Riva di Rivarotta day centre in the municipality of Rivignano Teor. These two organisations, which are very active in the field of disability, will be collaborating with the Festival’s organising committee to promote sport as a tool for inclusion and collective participation.

Pictured here is Alice Gnatta with the mayor, Laura Giorgi, and the president of the EYOF 2027 Organising Committee, Giorgio Brandolin.