Minsk, the capital of Belarus, will host the second edition of the European Games in 2019 after the membership of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) voted to approve the city’s candidacy. The EOC’s membership – who is gathered in Minsk for the 45th EOC General Assembly – delivered a large majority vote in favour of the city hosting the second edition of the European Games.
Minsk has a strong reputation for staging high-level competitions in Olympic sports having hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships and the EUBC European Boxing Championships in 2013, the IIHF World Championship in Ice Hockey in 2014, and the ISU European Speed Skating Championships earlier this year. Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, hosted the inaugural European Games in 2015 featuring 20 sports and providing qualification opportunities for European athletes to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in 12 sports.
