Istanbul 2027 leans into the mixed team: Judo’s big European Games moment is taking shape

There are 448 days to go until the opening of the 2027 European Games in Istanbul, and the build-up is already moving with purpose. Judo is confirmed in the official programme, and the spotlight is pointing straight at the mixed team event—one of the freshest, most crowd-friendly formats the sport has added in recent years.

Team judo takes centre stage at the European Games in Istanbul.

The European Judo Union has mapped out its key events with a clear structure. The Netherlands will host the individual competitions of the Senior European Judo Championships, while Istanbul has been assigned the mixed team competition. Since its Olympic introduction at Tokyo 2020, the mixed team has gained real momentum, and the EJU’s choice signals an intent to push its visibility even further on a major multi-sport platform.

That allocation was formally discussed during the first EJU Executive Committee meeting of the year in Malta. The Romanian Judo Federation also showed interest in hosting the European mixed team event in 2027, but, according to the EJU, it did not meet the contract conditions within the required timeframe. After an evaluation process, Istanbul was confirmed as the most suitable host, with emphasis on operational standards and delivery capacity.

A key figure in the preparations is Sezer Huysuz, President of the Turkish Judo Federation, Sport Director of the EJU, and a member of the Istanbul 2027 Organising Committee. From his position across both national and European structures, Huysuz describes work that is already underway through meetings and consultations. He points to a 15 January meeting involving the Turkish Olympic Committee, the European Olympic Committees, the federation, and other authorised Turkish bodies, where progress was reviewed and routine planning continued.

Logistics are a major part of the picture—venue set-up, accommodation, and transportation are all listed as active areas within the core plan. Huysuz also frames 2027 as strategically important for Türkiye, calling the Games a prestigious event often seen as an Olympic test, especially as the country is a candidate to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

His message is consistent: Istanbul wants to deliver the mixed team competition at a high standard, backed by cooperation between the Turkish Olympic Committee, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the European Olympic Committees and the EJU.

Source: EJU_News