Naples sharpens the details for the 2026 U23 Europeans at PalaVesuvio

With plenty of attention shifting toward the upcoming Senior European Championships in Tbilisi, the 2026 calendar is already moving fast behind the scenes. One of the key stops on that roadmap is Naples, which is preparing to welcome the U23 European Judo Championships. A recent inspection visit underlined how seriously the host city is treating the build-up.

EJU Vice President Catarina Rodrigues travelled to Italy alongside Tóth Fanni, International Relations Manager in the Presidential Office, and Janity Tibor, Head of Event Management & Broadcasting. Together, they met the local organising team and reviewed how the event is being shaped on the ground.

The championships are set to take place at PalaVesuvio in Ponticelli, on the outskirts of Naples. The venue is closely linked to the city’s judo identity and sits next to the well-known Parlati family club, a name associated with producing top-level champions.

The message from the inspection was clear: the project is moving forward.

According to the report, the visit went deep into the practical side of hosting: accommodation planning, logistics, and the fine details of venue delivery. The EJU also highlighted strong cooperation with FIJLKAM, the Italian Judo Federation, with operational points checked carefully across departments.

Rodrigues described the preparation as excellent and stressed the value of meeting department heads directly to go through every organisational element. That confidence was matched by Giuseppe Matera, President of the judo sector within FIJLKAM, who pointed to the event’s role in showcasing young talents and promoting the local area.

The dates are now the ones to circle: 30 October to 1 November 2026. Naples is aiming to deliver a U23 Europeans that reflects both its sporting heritage and its ambition to host at a top international standard.

Source: EJU_News