About Youth Sports Games

Youth Sports Games are the biggest amateur sports event for children and youth in Europe. We bring together kids  primary and secondary school age enabling them to participate in 10 sports disciplines free of charge. In the 23 years of existence we have gathered more than 1.7 million participants.

The Games are organized in 3 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. In 2019, 202,000 participants competed.

Youth Sports Games started in 1996 in Split, Croatia. The primary motive was to enable high-school students to participate in organized sporting events and other free activities. The idea grew and nowadays, the Youth Sports Games became the largest amateur sporting event in this part of Europe. They were organised under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee, the World Soccer Federation and the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Croatia, the President of the Croatian Parliament and the President of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

Many prominent names from the world of sports, politics, arts and economics support the Games: Sir Dave Richards, Chairman of the Premier League is an Honorary President of the Youth Sports Games while the role of the Honorary Vice President is entrusted to the Croatian tennis icon Goran Ivanišević and the ex-player/coach of Croatia's national football team Slaven Bilić.

Children and young people from all participating countries are offered the possibility of attending the competitions free of charge. The most successful individuals and teams are granted a “mini vacation“ in the form of participating in the International finals.

Through all of our activities, we emphasize the education on all aspects of Sustainablility. In doing so, we are creating an enriched environment that prepares the future generations to live a healthy and responsible life; one that will blossom into actions and ideas that could bring about changes humanity needs.