Event will take place between September 11 and 18, 2027
Portimão and Lagoa have been chosen to host the 2027 Mediterranean Beach Games.
The announcement has been made by the Algarve’s regional development commission (CCDR Algarve), which has congratulated the mayors of the two towns on their joint effort to host the event.
The decision was made at the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (ICMG) General Assembly, held in Heraklion on Greek island of Crete, on Friday.
The bid to host the event was presented at the event by the Secretary-General of the Olympic Committee of Portugal (COP), José Manuel Araújo, who highlighted the main region’s advantages as “excellent beach areas” and a “good number of hotels,” allowing most travel to be done on foot.
Araújo also stressed the region’s tradition of “organising major international events”, the accessibility offered by Faro Airport, a “solid sports programme” and the support of national sports federations.
The 2027 Mediterranean Beach Games are expected to bring athletes from the 26 National Olympic Committees that currently make up the ICMG to Portimão and Lagoa from September 11 to 18, 2027.
They will participate in sports such as handball, canoeing (sea), football, karate (kata), wrestling, open water swimming, rowing (sprint), tennis, sailing (iQFoil and Formula Kite), and volleyball.
The competition venues will be on Praia da Rocha and Alvor (Portimão) and Praia Grande de Ferragudo (Lagoa), as well as in the estuary of the Rio Arade, “which connects the two municipalities,” CCDR Algarve says.
The Mediterranean Beach Games are played every four years, with the third edition currently taking place in Heraklion until September 16.
