2023 European Games

In February 2021, the Games faced a funding deadlock when the city of Kraków said it needed financial guarantees from the Polish government in order to proceed with the signing of the host city contract. A spokesperson of the office of the mayor of Kraków, Jacek Majchrowski, said that the city had agreed to host the Games "only on condition that the government subsidised the necessary infrastructure". Government organisers blamed the city's leadership, with Jacek Sasin saying that "Kraków is the organiser of the Games" and that the government is "ready" to support it.[36] Sasin said that the government would commit to sharing funding, but only after Kraków signed the host city contract.[37] However, Majchrowski said that he would not sign the agreement until the government has introduced legislation supporting the event's organisation, leading to suggestions that Katowice, the original bid city, and the Silesia region could end up hosting the Games.[37][38] In a statement, the EOC said they were "working closely with the organisers" and remained "confident" that Kraków would sign the host city contract.[39]

In early March 2021, the EOC entered into talks with Silesian officials to explore the possibility of the region co-hosting the event.[40] Kraków and the Polish government were reported to have come to an agreement over funding by the end of March 2021.[3]

The opening ceremony in Krakow

The Great Britain team at the European Games opening ceremony in Krakow

The following competitions took place:

In addition, the following sports as 'side events' (demonstration sports) are included on the official program:

Traditional Martial Arts:[59]

1. Kurash
2. Ukrainian Traditional Belt Wrestling
3. Lithuanian Traditional Wrestling “Ristynės”
4. Ukrainian Wrestling “SPAS”

An E-sport European Games, recognised by the EOC, is also being held alongside the Games, but does not form part of the Kraków 2023 program.

The official emblem of the games was unveiled on 21 June 2022, exactly one year before the opening ceremony. Designed by Marcin Salawa the emblem depicts a flame containing the towers of St. Mary's Basilica, to represent the city of Kraków and the Tatra Mountains, to represent the landscape of the Małopolska region. The colours, taken from the coats of arms of Kraków, and Małopolska, represent fire and water. Fire is said to symbolise action, will, energy, while water symbolises spirituality, emotions and purification.[69][70]

The official motto of the games is We are Unity, Polish: Jesteśmy jednością, lit. 'We are One'.

“Sandra” and “Krakusek”, mascots, the official mascots

“Krakusek” the dragon and “Sandra” the salamander have been chosen as the official mascots for the European Games Kraków-Małopolska 2023.[71] The initiative, which received over 2,400 entries, was open to young people aged 5–15 across the continent. The dragon design by 15-year-old Katarzyna Biśta from Libiąż references the local culture and history of Kraków. Alongside Krakusek, the creation of the black and gold salamander by 10-year-old Gloria Goryl from Wojnicz portrays the fire salamander which can be found in south Poland.[71]

On 6 July 2021, Atos has been selected by the European Olympic Committees as its official Digital Technology Partner for the 2023 and 2027 editions of the European Games. As part of this partnership, Atos, long-standing supporter of the Olympic Movement, and EOC, the governing body for Europe's 50 National Olympic Committees, will work together to improve fan engagement.[72] On November 14 2022, representatives of LaLiga and the European Games Organising Committee signed a cooperation agreement to mutually promote sports events and organisations.[73]

50 countries around the world will broadcast the European Games.[74]

^1 – Included nations are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The region of Małopolska, to which the Games were jointly awarded, declared itself an LGBT ideology-free zone in 2019.[75] In August 2020, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh Frank Ross wrote to Kraków's mayor Jacek Majchrowski to confirm the city's opposition to homophobia after calls for a "serious rethink" of the two cities' twinning relationship.[76] In September 2020, a group of European politicians (including Liz Barker, a member of the House of Lords and Terry Reintke and Marc Angel, two MEPs) published a letter addressed to the European Olympic Committees in which they demanded LGBT rights be respected and suggested that the Games should be held in a different location due to the Małopolska region's status.[77][78][79] Flemish sports minister Ben Weyts said the region's LGBT-free zone declaration is "incompatible with the values of the Olympic Charter" and that Olympic Committees should not support bids from such regions.[80] The EOC responded, saying that there would be "no discrimination of any kind" and that the Olympic Charter would be respected.[81] The Małopolska region revoked its declaration of an LGBT ideology-free zone on 27 September 2021 and instead adopted a resolution to "oppose any discrimination against anyone for any reason".[82]

The Polish government has announced that athletes representing Russia and Belarus would not be attending the games as a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[83]