The Italian delegation arrived early this afternoon in Skopje, North Macedonia, where the 18th edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival – the continent’s premier multi-sport event for athletes under 18 – is set to officially begin tomorrow.

Swimmer Alessandra Mao and taekwondo athlete Gabriele Rosato will lead the Azzurri at the Opening Ceremony, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. tomorrow at the ‘Jane Sandanski’ Sports Centre and broadcast live on Italia Team TV.

Just 14 years old, Mao claimed the Italian senior national title in the 200m freestyle last April, setting a new national record in the girls' category with a time of 1:58.86. Born in 2009, Rosato has already achieved multiple podium finishes on the international stage, including the cadet world title he won at the 2023 World Championships in Sarajevo.

The summer edition of EYOF Skopje 2025 will welcome over 2,500 athletes from 49 European National Olympic Committees. Competitions will be held in three cities: in addition to the Macedonian capital, cycling and basketball events will take place in Kumanovo, while Osijek, Croatia, will host artistic gymnastics.

Italia Team will compete in 12 of the 15 disciplines on the programme, fielding a squad of 116 athletes (60 boys and 56 girls).

The Opening Ceremony will be streamed live from 8:30 p.m. on ItaliaTeamTV, CONI’s OTT platform, which will offer extensive coverage of the entire event across four dedicated channels.