28/11/2025
Belfast Named European City Of Sport For 2026
Belfast has been officially named a European City of Sport for 2026 by the ACES – Worldwide Capitals and Cities of Sport Federation.
The announcement follows a two-day visit by a judging panel in early November, who were impressed by the city's sporting heritage, community passion, and strategic investment into physical activity.
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, announced the news at the Olympia Leisure Centre today, Friday, 28 November 2025. She called the award a "great achievement" and an endorsement of the wide-ranging support for sport in the city.
Councillor Kelly emphasised the strategic importance of the title, linking it to wider public health goals: “Activity levels in Belfast are good – but they could be better. We still have some of the highest levels of health inequalities and deprivation in the UK and reducing these is a key goal for the Belfast Agenda.”
Investment in Infrastructure and Participation
The city’s successful bid highlighted the substantial investment made by Belfast City Council and its leisure partners, GLL, over the last decade. Key figures presented to the ACES panel included:
• £105 million (one hundred and five million pounds) invested by the Council since 2015 into six state-of-the-art leisure centres.
• Eight other centres being transformed into community hubs to provide vital services.
• The addition of e-bikes to the Belfast Bikes fleet.
• The creation of world-class greenways at Connswater and Forth Meadow to encourage cycling and walking.
• Development of new recreational spaces, such as the Under the Bridges project beneath the M3 bridge.
The investments and new programmes, including the free 12-week Healthwise scheme, have been linked to a significant increase in sports participation. The 2023/24 Continuous Household Survey reported that 50% of adults had taken part in sport in the last week, up from 43% in 2022/23.
Michelle Vorel-Adams, President of ACES UK and Ireland, praised the city’s approach: “It is an exceptional example of a city providing an array of high-quality sports facilities and services coupled with strong partnerships.”
The Lord Mayor confirmed that in 2026, the city will host an increased number of events, coach and volunteer development opportunities, and special events, with the full programme to be announced in January 2026.
Keep up to date with all the latest info on the council website at belfastcity.gov.uk/cityofsport and on social media. Info on memberships and activities in leisure centres city-wide is also available at better.org.uk/belfast
The announcement follows a two-day visit by a judging panel in early November, who were impressed by the city's sporting heritage, community passion, and strategic investment into physical activity.
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, announced the news at the Olympia Leisure Centre today, Friday, 28 November 2025. She called the award a "great achievement" and an endorsement of the wide-ranging support for sport in the city.
Councillor Kelly emphasised the strategic importance of the title, linking it to wider public health goals: “Activity levels in Belfast are good – but they could be better. We still have some of the highest levels of health inequalities and deprivation in the UK and reducing these is a key goal for the Belfast Agenda.”
Investment in Infrastructure and Participation
The city’s successful bid highlighted the substantial investment made by Belfast City Council and its leisure partners, GLL, over the last decade. Key figures presented to the ACES panel included:
• £105 million (one hundred and five million pounds) invested by the Council since 2015 into six state-of-the-art leisure centres.
• Eight other centres being transformed into community hubs to provide vital services.
• The creation of world-class greenways at Connswater and Forth Meadow to encourage cycling and walking.
• Development of new recreational spaces, such as the Under the Bridges project beneath the M3 bridge.
The investments and new programmes, including the free 12-week Healthwise scheme, have been linked to a significant increase in sports participation. The 2023/24 Continuous Household Survey reported that 50% of adults had taken part in sport in the last week, up from 43% in 2022/23.
Michelle Vorel-Adams, President of ACES UK and Ireland, praised the city’s approach: “It is an exceptional example of a city providing an array of high-quality sports facilities and services coupled with strong partnerships.”
The Lord Mayor confirmed that in 2026, the city will host an increased number of events, coach and volunteer development opportunities, and special events, with the full programme to be announced in January 2026.
Keep up to date with all the latest info on the council website at belfastcity.gov.uk/cityofsport and on social media. Info on memberships and activities in leisure centres city-wide is also available at better.org.uk/belfast
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Belfast has been named a European City of Sport for 2026, and the news has gone down well with the people who spend most of their evenings and weekends on pitches and in halls around the city. ACES Europe confirmed the title after visiting earlier in the year.
Belfast Named European City of Sport for 2026
Belfast has been named a European City of Sport for 2026, and the news has gone down well with the people who spend most of their evenings and weekends on pitches and in halls around the city. ACES Europe confirmed the title after visiting earlier in the year.
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