Skopje, 27 February 2026 (MIA) - With an agreement signed Friday, North Macedonia has joined the Plazma Youth Sports Games (YSG), an initiative that has brought together over 2.5 million children from several countries in the region over the past few years. The best athletes will represent the country at the finals set to be held in August 2026, in Split, Croatia.

The agreement was signed by Elena Mickovska, head of the Federation of School Sports of Macedonia, and Zdravko Marić, President of the Plazma Youth Sports Games. The cooperation between national partners and the international platform is set to create opportunities for more than a thousand children from municipalities across the country to take part in organized and inclusive sports competitions.

At the signing event in the Government, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said it is an honor for the country to be a part of the YSG since, he said, the Government is investing a lot of attention in the development of the country’s youth.

“I am convinced that these tens of thousands of children that will compete in schools across the country in the coming months will grow up to be people who will promote and love their homeland with dignity, while also transferring the same to future generations that will also compete in schools across the country. And I am also convinced that these young people will be dignified representatives of Macedonian sport at the finals in Split this summer,” the Prime Minister stressed. 

The European Union’s Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner noted that the event is not only important for the region, but also for the entire European Union, while stressing that North Macedonia and the region are close partners of the EU.

“Today we are showing that we are getting even closer to each other, that sport brings us closer,” Brunner said.

The Commissioner said sport teaches many lessons, including how to accept defeat with dignity.  

“That is something that we as politicians need to learn as well, and that’s why sport teaches us how to lose in a dignified manner. We, as a European Union must support this. I asked myself why the Youth Sports Games are so successful. First of all, it is about the roots, but also because they are open to all. This is where the importance of Youth Sports Games lies,” Brunner added. 

Minister of Sport Borko Ristovski noted the importance of the project for sports in schools, active local communities, and close cooperation between institutions, sports federations, and the business community.

“It is an opportunity for thousands of children to put on a jersey for the first time. To stand at the start line, to feel what it means to be a part of a team, to forge new friendships, to grow and progress. I am especially glad that the best of them will represent Macedonia at the international finals in Split. Not just as competitors, but also as our young ambassadors of friendship, respect, and sportsmanship,” Ristovski said. 

Basketball coach and former player Željko Obradović, who is also an ambassador of the Plazma Youth Sports Games, encouraged children and young people from North Macedonia to connect with their peers from other countries where, he said, the YSG have already gained great momentum.

“Young people and children are the most valuable part of any society, and I truly wish them many wonderful moments and the chance to acquire what matters most – the real values in life,” Obradović said.

The event was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski, and his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić-Radman, along with Croatia’s Ambassador in the country Nives Tiganj, and the Ambassador of the European Union, Michalis Rokas. 

Held under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee, the European Commission, and other key organizations, the Plazma Youth Sports Games provide a platform where young people can compete in ten different disciplines and experience sports in a safe and encouraging environment, while learning about the importance of physical activity, teamwork, and fair play.

The Youth Sports Games will feature competitions in 10 disciplines (mini football, volleyball, beach volleyball, handball, 3x3 basketball, tennis, table tennis, chess, athletics) for both boys and girls. They will be held in April, May, and June 2026, across 18 sports days involving schools and local communities throughout the country, with support from national sports federations. The best athletes and teams from the national competitions in the country will travel to the international finals in Split, where they will spend several days competing and socializing with peers from other participating countries.

By joining this international platform, North Macedonia becomes part of a network that already includes Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time, the country is creating its own national platform with a focus on youth, strengthening cooperation between schools, municipalities, national sports federations, and the business community – both domestically and within the regional sports scene.

Photo: Government