The medals for Taranto 2026 have been officially unveiled 50 days before the Opening Ceremony of the Mediterranean Games.

Produced by the Italian State Mint, the medals for the event, scheduled to take place from Friday 21 August to Thursday 3 September, symbolise sporting achievement and, through their design, convey the values of encounter, dialogue and sharing among the peoples of the Mediterranean. The awards for those who step onto the podium have been created to express the bond between the host city, the sea and the cultures that have met along its shores for millennia. On one side stands the Games logo, with the two “X”s of the Roman numeral 20 transformed into anthropomorphic shapes inspired by the lines of the Monument to the Sailor, a symbol of Taranto and an ideal reference to the embrace between peoples. The graphic composition recalls land and water sports through textures and reliefs that evoke movement and dynamism. Made of brass, with a diameter of 80 millimetres, the medals feature gold, rhodium and copper finishes, corresponding respectively to first, second and third place. They are symbolic objects that encapsulate the spirit of the Games and the deep bond between Taranto and the Mediterranean.

CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio attended the presentation ceremony at the headquarters of the Ionian Department of the University: “The construction site of sport does not close: after Milano Cortina 2026, there are the Mediterranean Games. These events place us at the centre of the world and show that Italy is the second leading country in the organisation of major events, a sign of our capability. Our aim is to increase young people’s participation in sport. Thanks to the facilities that have been built and the work of everyone involved, we will be ready for the event. What matters is reaching the start line. These will be the fourth Mediterranean Games hosted by Italy: today I have truly understood what Taranto means”.

“The Mediterranean Games are won together,” added the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi. “These 50 days will be no different from the previous 49, because the work began some time ago. In addition to financial resources, passion, expertise and dedication are needed. The spirit of these Games is to win together. We are thinking about the Games, but we are also thinking about 4 September, about what will remain, about the legacy and the lasting assets we have made available to the communities of Puglia. Italy is capable of hosting the world and of ensuring progress driven by a sporting event, but which then becomes culture, opportunity for young people and development for the territory”.

Tommaso Foti, Minister for European Affairs, Cohesion Policy and the NRRP, then said: “The Games will open on 21 August and there is already wonderful news: the Erasmo Iacovone Stadium will be sold out. I feel sorry for those who will not be able to see the Opening Ceremony in person at the stadium, but Rai will be there. It will be an event that will bring great prestige to the city of Taranto, which fully deserved it. This is a place that must be represented for what it truly is, with its history, traditions and customs”.

Massimo Ferrarese, President of the Taranto 2026 Organising Committee, said: “We are about to complete the major works. The Government has given us the opportunity to work with peace of mind, and for this I thank Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ministers Tommaso Foti and Andrea Abodi, who have always stood by us. We started with the decree of August 2024 and, in 22 months, we have reached the finish line. We are satisfied with the swimming pools, the Iacovone Stadium and all the other works, without forgetting anyone”.

“The medal is the symbol of an event of this kind. Its size and weight were important, because every athlete must remember all the sacrifice they have made while wearing it” concluded Carlo Molfetta, Director General of Taranto 2026.