Europe’s largest amateur sports event for children has celebrated its 30th anniversary in Split, Croatia, bringing together young competitors from across the Balkans and attracting prominent figures from the worlds of sport and politics. The Plazma Youth Sport Games, which organisers describe as both a sporting competition and a “social project”, held its finals over the course of a week in the Dalmatian coastal city this month.
Just under half a million young people from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia and North Macedonia took part in qualifying rounds for this year’s event. The finals were contested in ten sports, ranging from chess to 3v3 basketball, with participants encouraged to learn lessons in teamwork, collaboration and putting phones away alongside their athletic pursuits.
One of the standout events saw twenty children playing chess on a dais overlooking the Adriatic, competing against grandmaster Nigel Short, who moved between the players making one move at a time. The young players, described as the best junior chess talents from the Balkans, were supported by celebrity coaches including former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic, former Burnley manager Sean Dyche and tech billionaire Peter Thiel.
The event has drawn a roster of esteemed visitors over the years, with some describing it as “the Davos of sport” for its ability to bring eminent figures from athletics and politics to the Dalmatian coast each summer. Celebrity ambassadors have included Dyche and former Downing Street communications director Alastair Campbell, reflecting the event’s broad appeal beyond the sporting arena.
Organisers frame the Youth Sport Games as more than a competition, positioning it as a social initiative designed to instil values in young participants. The emphasis on collaboration and disconnecting from digital devices is central to the event’s mission, which has grown steadily since its founding three decades ago.
The anniversary edition in Split underscored the event’s regional significance, with participation spanning five countries and a programme that blends competitive sport with educational and social objectives. The presence of high-profile guests and the scale of youth involvement highlight the games’ role as a fixture in the European amateur sports calendar.