From the Alps to the Adriatic: EUROPEADA 2028 will take place in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

03.11.2024

The sixth edition of EUROPEADA, the football tournament of the autochthonous national minorities in Europe, will take place in the summer of 2028 (provisionally from 25 June to 2 July) in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in north-eastern Italy. This was decided by the Assembly of Delegates at this year's FUEN Congress in Husum/Hüsem (Germany). The hosts are the Slovenian and Friulian FUEN member organisations from Italy – the Confederation of Slovene Organisations, the Slovenian Economic and Cultural Association, and the Friulian Philological Society.

Following the last EUROPEADA, held in 2024 in the German-Danish border region, the tournament now returns to southern Europe and will, for the first time, be organised in a Mediterranean setting. At the crossroads of multiple language groups – Friulian, Italian, Slovenian, and German – Friuli-Venezia Giulia provides an ideal stage for the sporting event celebrating Europe’s minorities.

The men’s and women’s matches will be held at 13 different locations across the region – from the Alps to the Adriatic. The opening ceremony is planned for Trieste/Trst/Triest, while the finals are set to take place in Gurize/Gorizia/Gorica/Görz.

In addition to exciting football matches, EUROPEADA 2028 will once again feature a diverse cultural programme highlighting the unique local characteristics and attractions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The traditional Cultural Day is set to be held in Udin/Udine/Videm, the most important city of the historical Friuli region, symbolising the cultural and linguistic diversity of Europe.

After the decision on the host location, an initial introductory and orientation meeting took place on 30th October 2024 between the institutions involved in organising the tournament, including FUEN. The key topics of the discussion included technical questions such as funding options and tournament regulations. In the coming months and years, planning will continue intensively, and we will keep you regularly updated on all relevant developments.