Prague’s Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda officially took over the flag of the Czech Olympic Committee during the closing ceremony of the Czech Children’s and Youth Olympics 2025 in the Moravskoslezský Region on Thursday. With this symbolic gesture, the Czech capital has accepted the baton and will host the 12th Summer Olympics for Children and Youth from 21 to 26 June 2026. The event is expected to attract up to 4,500 young athletes from all across the Czech Republic.
“I am delighted that Prague has the honour of hosting the 12th Summer Olympics for children and young people in 2026. This is not only a great honour for our city but also an excellent opportunity for young athletes to showcase their talent, enthusiasm, and sporting spirit. Sport and a healthy lifestyle help shape character, alongside physical fitness,” said Mayor Svoboda. He added: “At the same time, I would like to express my gratitude to the organisers, the parents, the spectators, the athletes, and, last but not least, the Moravskoslezský Region, which successfully hosted this year’s celebration of sport.”
This year’s Winter Olympics for children and youth took place from 26 to 30 January 2025 in the Moravskoslezský Region. A total of eleven sports and one artistic competition were held in Ostrava, Frýdek-Místek, Třinec, Český Těšín, and Bílá.
At the closing ceremony of the Children’s and Youth Olympics 2025, held at the Polárka sports hall in Frýdek-Místek, Deputy Chairman of the Czech Olympic Committee Filip Šuman presented the Czech Olympic Committee flag to Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda. He then invited the young athletes to the 2026 Summer Olympics in Prague.
This major sporting event will be held in Prague for the first time, with up to 4,500 young athletes from all regions of the Czech Republic expected to participate. The ceremonial opening of the five-day event will take place at the Slavia Prague football stadium in Vršovice. The sports competitions will be held in the capital from Sunday, 21 June to Friday, 26 June 2026. The first day will be dedicated to the arrival of delegations, accommodation, and the ceremonial opening of the Games, followed by four days of competition, concluding with a festive closing ceremony.
The Children’s and Youth Olympics is a nationwide competition between regional delegations that has been held annually since 2003, open to young athletes aged twelve to sixteen. The event provides participants with an experience akin to the real Olympic Games, including the lighting of the Olympic flame, ceremonies, life in the Olympic Village, and the Olympic oath.
The event is a project of the Czech Olympic Committee, occurring in two-year cycles, alternating between summer and winter. More information about the project is available at Olympiáda dětí a mládeže.
Letní Olympiáda dětí a mládeže 2026
Czech Summer Youth Olympics 2026
21 to 26 June 2026 | Prague
