Tallinn has been selected as the host city for the 2025 International Children's Games that takes place under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee. Last week, Igor Topole, President of the International Children’s Games, and Secretary General Hugh Waters, visited Tallinn to inspect its sports infrastructure and met with city leaders to discuss the details of organizing the event.

Deputy Mayor Tiit Terik remarked that Tallinn's candidacy for the 2025 games coincides with its year as the European Capital of Sport. "Tallinn features over a thousand sports facilities, a diverse sports event calendar catering to amateurs and professionals alike, and extensive experience in hosting international sports events," said Terik.

"The collaboration with the Estonian School Sport Union to organize the International Children's Games during our year as the European Capital of Sport will boost the popularity of youth sports and offer Tallinn's youth an opportunity to compete with their peers from around the world. The games are expected to bring approximately 1,800 young athletes from all over the globe," added the Deputy Mayor.

The International Children’s Games, hosted by various cities, feature competitions among children aged 12 to 15 from across the world. The first games were held in 1968 in Celje, Slovenia.

This year, nearly 1,900 children from 90 cities across 25 countries participated in the games in Daegu, South Korea. Tallinn will send a delegation of young athletes to next year's games in Leon, Mexico, competing in 3x3 basketball, tennis, swimming, taekwondo, and volleyball.

The International Children's Games in Tallinn are scheduled for August 3-8, 2025. For more information on the games, visit the website at https://icgames.org/.