The Organising Committee approved the World Friendship Games Sports Programme
These parameters of the new international tournament sports programme were approved during the first meeting of the Organising Committee for the preparation and holding of the World Friendship Games, chaired by Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Igor Levitin, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation.
The final version of the World Friendship Games 2024 Concept, approved at the meeting on 29 November, includes 33 sports: Acrobatic Rock'n'Roll, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Wrestling, Breaking, Cycling, Canoe Slalom, Ju-Jitsu, Judo, Karate, Equestrian, Athletics, Table Tennis, Padel, Swimming, Beach Volleyball, Beach Soccer, Diving, Sambo, Artistic Swimming, Sport Climbing, Skateboarding, Mixed Martial Arts, Artistic Gymnastics, Competitive Programming, Archery, Triathlon, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, Fencing, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Chess. Two more sports (Sumo and Mas-Wrestling) will be presented as demonstration events.
The first ever World Friendship Games will be held in Moscow and Ekaterinburg from 15 to 29 September 2024. The Russian capital will host 28 sports, while the Ural will host competitions in Swimming, Diving, Artistic Swimming, Judo, Athletics and Basketball (among women’s teams). The Friendship Games 2024 Concept includes 23 competition venues. Most of them are located in Moscow, in the Luzhniki Sports Complex; the Opening and Closing ceremonies are also planned to be held there at the Big Sports Arena. Ekaterinburg will use the Palace of Water Sports, the Judo Arena, the Palace of Team Sports and the Kalininets Athletics Stadium.
Leading athletes from all continents will be invited to participate in the World Friendship Games 2024, and the only criterion for selection will be their international sports ranking, as well as the results of the world championships selected for the sports programme disciplines. Additional motivation for the participation of foreign athletes includes a substantial prize fund, free flights to the host cities and free accommodation for the duration of the competition. Payments to the medalists will be made by the International Friendship Association (IFA), the rights holder of the World Friendship Games 2024 who has delegated the right to host the tournament to Russia in 2024, enshrined in the relevant Agreement. A number of 7,900 athletes from more than 70 countries are expected to take part in the Friendship Games 2024.
The meeting of the Organising Committee chaired by Dmitry Chernyshenko and Igor Levitin comprised representatives of all relevant ministries and agencies involved in the Friendship Games 2024. All present heard a report on the progress of preparations for the tournament from Alexey Sorokin, CEO of the World Friendship Games Organising Committee and the leadership of Moscow and the Sverdlovk Region. They approved the plan of the main activities for the preparation and holding of the Friendship Games 2024.
