The European Youth Olympic Festival returns in February with a blockbuster event ready to capture the spirit of winter sport.
The first European multi-sport event aimed at young athletes, the event is the gateway to the major sporting events, with many of the young athletes going on to compete on the biggest stages.
The festival was originally named the European Youth Olympic Days with 2025 playing host to both Summer and Winter editions of the games.
When did the EYOF start – when were winter sports added?
The EYOF first started in Brussels, Belgium in 1991. Introduced by the then President of the European Olympic Committee, OC Honorary President Jacques Rogge founded the events in his home country for the summer edition. The first winter edition was added two years later in 1993, in Aosta, Italy.
What events will be taking place?
A total of eight sports will be involved at Bakuriani 2025. They are:
Alpine Skiing
Biathlon
Cross-country Skiing
Freestyle Skiing
Snowboard
Ice Hockey
Figure Skating
Short Track Speed Skating
Where will the events be held?
Georgia will host the 17th Winter European Olympic Youth Festival. The competition will be split across three cities and five venues, with Bakuriani, Batumi and the capital, Tbilisi hosting the events and the young athletes taking part.
Whilst having never held the winter edition before, Tbilisi did host the summer edition of the EYOF in 2015.
When will the events be held/How long is the festival?
The winter games will be held over eight days from February 9th to 16th, albeit the girls' ice hockey which will start slightly earlier on 6th February.
What countries compete in the festival?
A total of 48 countries are expected to compete across the competition, with between 950 and 1600 young athletes taking part.
Why is EYOF held?
The EYOF is the first taste of a multisport event for thousands of athletes.
The festival hopes to inspire young people to take up sport, and to promote physical activity. As part of the IOC patronage, the youth games also promote the principles of the Olympics, including fostering the spirit of friendship, fair play and tolerance.
With over 700 volunteers, the EYOF presents an opportunity for many young volunteers to gain experience organising a big event, meeting new people and developing key work skills.
Who has competed in the past for Team GB?
The young athletes heading to Georgia will hope to follow in the footsteps of those who came before them, who turned Youth Olympics to Winter Olympics.
Read more: Ten British athletes who went from the European Youth Olympic Festival to the Winter
Jo Williams won bronze in 1997 in Sweden. She would go on to compete in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics.
Alpine Skier Chemmy Alcott won silver and bronze in the 1999 games and would go on to compete in four Winter Olympics before her retirement in 2014.
Team GB's first EYOF gold came courtesy of the boys' curling team at Monthey 2005, while curling star Anna Sloan won bronze for Team GB at the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, just five years after she skipped her team to EYOF gold in Poland.
Sportsbeat 2025